


Freeing You

by carrie141



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:27:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24392056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrie141/pseuds/carrie141
Summary: When Loki came through the Tesseract portal, things changed for Darcy Lewis forever. Truths are coming to light and Shield can't hide in the dark anymore.
Relationships: Darcy Lewis/Loki
Comments: 72
Kudos: 280





	1. Meeting You

Chapter One - Meeting You

Darcy Lewis looked on as Eric Selvig and Director Fury discussed the Tesseract, which had decided on its own to start reacting. Darcy wasn't all to clear about what it, or she, as Eric liked to call it, was reacting too, but with both Eric and Fury concerned, she was concerned too. 

Darcy was only here because Jane had a speaking commitment in New York and Darcy had been asked (see: ordered) by Shield to not attend and instead lend help to Dr. Selvig for the next two weeks while Jane completed her lecture circuit. She was ok with that; she hadn't been too keen on flying to New York anyway, cause then her parents would want her to stay with them and that always ended in a shouting match between her mom and dad about what Darcy should be doing with her life. She just wasn't up for that currently. 

Fury mostly ignored her, speaking only to Eric and then calling down his agent who was assigned to watch over them. Agent Clint Barton was ok, he seemed like a really down-to-earth type; she hadn't spent a lot of time with him, mostly cause he liked to hang out in "his nest", as Eric liked to tease. But he was usually good at cracking a joke in tense moments or getting everyone to calm down when the stress was too much. 

Darcy watched from her computer station, where she was tasked monitoring heat signatures from the Cube's containment field, as Fury and Barton talked quietly. Another tech across from her called out about spiking, forcing Darcy to look over to see what was going on. Eric rushed forward, checking signals and data, while Darcy watched, fascinated as blue pulses shot out from the Cube, raising gooseflesh on her arms and the hairs on the back of her neck. She was not ashamed to admit that when an impossibly blue light shot from the Cube to the opposite platform, she let out a tiny scream before throwing her hands up as the light was flung back on them. 

There was one small moment of silence while everyone braced from whatever was happening. Darcy stepped out of her little work station, moving to stand by Eric, who glanced down at her with real concern, and a small measure of wonder, in his eyes. Armed agents were moving forward, guns drawn, at the figure Darcy could just make out crouching where the Cube had sent it's energy blast. The figure raised it head slowly, a manic smile spread across its sweaty (and handsome, her brain supplied) face. The smile fell as he slowly stood, standing tall over those gathered before him, holding some kind of pointed, glowing spear. 

Darcy could see Fury and Barton bracing themselves, as the other agents moved into position. Eric shifted, putting himself just a little in front of her, perhaps thinking he could shield her from danger. 

"Sir," called out Fury, "Please put down the spear."

The stranger glanced down, as if noticing the weapon for the first time. Then he was pointing it at the group of agents, a look of controlled rage on his face as he used it to fire an energy blast at them. Darcy watched as Barton pushed Fury out of the way, both falling and rolling away from the danger. Everything was happening so fast, the sounds of gun shots, people falling, dying (don't think about it, Darcy, don't think about it, her mind screamed). 

Another blast few toward her and Eric, but Eric pushed her and followed down himself, barely missing the blast that slammed full force into the tech they had been standing by. Darcy could see her face, charred and smoking, from where she lay on the cold floor. 

Covering her mouth to hold back her sob, Darcy searched for Eric, who was huddled behind a work station in front of her. She slowly crawled her way to him, the only friendly face in the war-zone room. 

"Eric," she whisper/cried, "what the hell?" 

"Darcy, are you ok?" he asked, hands reaching to pull her behind the desk with him. 

"We have to get out of here," she said instead, looking around the desk as the room went quiet once more. 

She could see the stranger, rushing to Barton. She started to cry out, but as she watch he overpowered Barton and then pushed his spear thing into his chest. Almost immediately, Barton stopped fighting him and holstered his weapon. 

"Oh shit," she whispered. What had he done to him? She watched, fear overtaking her, as the stranger twirled away, seeking another agent that he then poked with his staff, somehow controlling him and getting him to stop fighting, just like Barton. 

From her position on the ground, Darcy couldn't see where Fury was or if he was even ok, until the stranger softly said, he voice steady and even, "Please don't. I still need that."

"This doesn't have to get any messier," Fury replied.

"Of course it does." Mr. Scary in Leather replied, "I've come too far for anything else. I am Loki, of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose." 

Darcy's heart skipped a beat. Asgard? She turned to Eric, who had been leaning over the burned tech, checking for a pulse. He's face was a mirror of her own, shock and confusion. If Loki was here, where was Thor? 

Before she could stop him, Eric stood, calling, "Loki? Brother of Thor?" 

Darcy stood as well, standing just behind Eric, her hand reaching to hold his arm, needing something to steady herself. From here, she could see the affect the name Thor had on this Loki; disgust and rage vying for attention. Seems like Thor and Loki had failed to work things out after Loki sent a Fire-Death-Bot after him. 

Fury, ever the diplomat, was trying reason. "We have no quarrel with your people."

"An ant has no quarrel with a boot," was his answer, tossed off with zero feeling. 

Darcy felt a shiver snake up her spine; this was not someone that would handle diplomacy well. 

"Are you planning to step on us?" Fury questioned, his voice breaking from calm to something more, though Darcy wasn't sure what. 

"I come with glad tidings," Loki continued, walking around the room as if he owned it, stopping with his back to Eric and Darcy, keeping Fury in his direct line of sight. "Of a world made free."

"Free from what?" Fury asked, circling with Loki, but not advancing or retreating.

"Freedom," Loki answered, "Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart," there was a pause, then Loki whipped around, poking Eric in the chest like he had done Barton and the other agent. 

Darcy cried out, as Loki stated, "You will know peace." 

"Eric!" she screamed, shaking his arms and trying to get him to look at her. But he had eyes only for Loki, watching impassively as he continued to monolog with Fury. "What did you do?!" she screamed, unthinkingly, turning to Loki, fury and terror plain on her face. 

Darcy saw Fury behind Loki, shaking his head and taking a small step forward, as if he could help her. 

"Shall I show you?" Loki asked, pushing the staff into her own chest. There was a slight burning sensation, like when you pinch a candle out with your wet fingers, but then it was gone. Darcy stared that the staff still hovering over her chest, tears running down her cheeks, not understanding, before raising her eyes to Loki, thinking he was toying with her. 

Loki looked shocked, eyes fixed on the place where the staff waited, the glow harsh and bright. He's own eyes, lit the same blue flame as Eric's and Barton's flashed to her face, understanding dawning before all emotions shuttered out. 

"Well, well, finally something interesting," he almost purred at her, his hand rising and snaking around her forearm, pulling her close. 

"Let me go!" Darcy shouted out, pulling against the ironlike band wrapped around her arm. 

"These people are not important to you, you can take the case, just leave the people behind," Fury called, pulling Loki's attention back to him. 

"Oh, I think I'll take both, if it's all the same to you," snarked back Loki, turning to Fury once more. 

Fury's eyes darted to Darcy, some kind of hidden message there, but Darcy was no spy, she wasn't a scientist, she couldn't understand what he wanted. "It will go easier for you if you don't endanger anymore lives than you already have." 

Whatever Loki's answer would have been, he was cut off by Barton calling out, "Director Fury is stalling, sir. This place is about to blow," he was walking toward them, his voice impassive, emotionless. "And drop a hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us."

"Like the pharaohs of old." Fury confirmed, just as emotionless. 

Eric was turned away, checking readings on the station behind him. "He's right. The portal is collapsing in on itself. We've got maybe two minutes before this goes critical." 

Loki turned to Barton, "Well then," was all he said. 

Barton pulled his gun out and fired at Fury, who flew backwards with a small groan. 

"No!" Darcy screamed, pulling against Loki's hold on her, trying to get to Fury. 

"Come a long," Loki sing-songed, pulling her with him as he strode past the downed Fury. Barton picked up a case from where Fury was just a moment ago, passing it to Eric; Darcy guessed the Tesseract was inside. 

Even knowing it was pointless, Darcy cried out to both Eric and Barton for help. "Eric, please, what are you doing? Barton, Clint, why are you helping him?" She struggled against the hard grip on her, knowing it was raising bruises along her arms but still disparate to escape. 

"My dear," Loki said, pulling her closer, causing her to stumble slightly into him. "They are completely under my control now; they will offer you no help nor escape." 

The words sent terror down her spine, but she refused to give up. Yanking herself away from him, she searched the area for something, anything, useful. There were weapons scattered on the ground, from the fallen agents around them. If she could just get to one of those, maybe she could do something. 

Even as the thoughts formed in her mind, she was pulled off kilter again as Loki himself stumbled, pulling her down with him. He straightened almost painfully, the arm holding the staff wrapping around his middle. With a groan, he shoved her into the arms of the other agent; Darcy didn't even know his name. "Bind her hands," Loki ordered harshly, stepping in behind Barton as he led the way to the underground garage. 

Tears streamed down her face as a pair of zip-tie handcuffs were tightened around her wrists, trapping her hands in front of her. She'd lost her glasses somewhere along the way, and everything was a blur of activity around her. Barton was barking out ahead of them, "Need these vehicles." 

Barton and Eric headed for the cab of a pickup, Loki settling himself in the back. He reached over and pulled her down beside him, almost protectively wedging her in between the hard metal bed and the solid cargo cases that had already been loaded. 

One of the blurry dark spots, which Darcy assumed was a agent, stopped before them, calling out, "Who's that?" 

Barton called out, "They don't tell me."

Darcy perked up, rising to her knees as she recognized that voice. She called out, "Agent Hill!" At the same time a radio crackled, Fury's voice unmistakable, "Hill, do you copy? Barton has turned." 

Gun shots started again, panic overriding Darcy once more. She prayed that Hill was able to get out of the way, but they didn't call Baron "Hawkeye" for no reason; the man never missed. Yet, Fury was still alive, so maybe there wasn't much for that nickname after all. 

The truck started, rumbling below her, tires squealing and the truck speeding forward. Darcy was thrown forward and would have smacked her head on the bed of the truck if it wasn't for a hands suddenly cradling her shoulders and pulling her back up. 

"Careful now," Loki murmured, impossibly blue eyes fading down to bright green for just a moment. "Wouldn't want you to get hurt, now would we? Not until we figure out just what you are." His voice was pitched low, almost like a secret the two of them were sharing. 

"What-?" was all Darcy managed to get out, before Loki was shoving her down again, this time flat on her back. A new fear quaked through her, forcing out a tiny, "No," before she realized he was turning away from her, almost shielding her body with his as he watched vehicles chasing after them. 

He raised his staff, firing away at their pursuers. Explosions sounded, seeming to shake the tunnel they were in. No, she realized, that wasn't from his staff. The released energy from when he arrived, it needed somewhere to go. Eric said it was going to collapse; would it take the facility with it? 

There was a loud crash, causing the truck to jerk slightly backwards. Had they hit something? Darcy wondered, raising herself just a little to better brace herself. Gun shots were sounding overhead again, Barton firing at someone who returned fire. They were jerked sideways, Barton yanking hard on the wheel to the right. A jeep flew into view behind them, chasing them even as the ceiling started to fall in behind it. 

Darcy heard more than saw the final crash; rocks had covered the jeep, completely burying it and its driver. Tears were rolling unchecked down her face, all the death and destruction around her just too much to keep her emotions from surfacing. 

They cleared the underground entrance. Almost immediately, Barton was jerking the wheel, pulling them off the main road and bumping along the desert. A helicopter flow overhead, Loki standing and bracing himself to track its process. Gun shots ripped through the air, one slamming through the windshield and out the back window, where it ground into the metal bare inches from Darcy's thigh. A low whimper escaped her, drawing Loki's attention. He looked down, seeing the bullet mark and Darcy cringing her legs away. 

Anger rode high on his face as he turned back to the helicopter, raising his staff and firing. Darcy felt the impact of it falling to the earth, metal grinding and groaning in her ears. There were more gun shots fired as they hit smooth road once more, Barton speeding into the night.

Satisfied that they were not being pursued for the moment, Loki lowered himself beside her, setting the staff down and reaching for her. Instinctively, she cringed away, pushing herself into the the corner of the truck bed and trying to make herself as small as possible. 

"Hold still, mortal, I need to check you for injuries," he almost growled out, one hand grabbing for her bond wrists while the other landed high on her thigh. 

"Let go!" She trashed about, knowing rationally that she had nowhere to go but refusing to give up. 

Loki's already hard jawline tightened, his hold becoming rougher and definitely leaving bruises. "I said, be still!" He pulled her up, pining her front flush against his with one arm while the other hand reached for her forehead. Again, Darcy felt that light burning sensation, there and then gone. She was full on panicking, unsure what he was planning. 

There was that curious, shocked look in his eyes again; the same as when he'd tried to use the staff on her. But this time, Darcy could see the unnatural blue of his eyes fading to brilliant green. They were beautiful eyes, she thought, staring into them. For a murderer, her mind kicked back, pulling her back to the here and now. 

"Fascinating," Loki murmured, face different this time, missing that manic edge he'd carried since coming through the portal. He dropped the hand from her face, hands wrapping around her forearms instead of pinning her harshly to his length.

"Wh-what?" Darcy dared to ask, holding perfectly still least something else set him off. 

"You aren't completely human, are you? Human, and a little more," he mumbled, almost talking to himself. He's hold relaxed, not holding her as roughly any more. 

Darcy pulled back and he allowed it, arms dropping from her completely. They were standing on their knees in the back of the truck, facing each other while the wind whipped around them. 

"Where are you taking us?" Darcy demanded, glossing right over the "not human" thing; there was only so much crazy she could deal with right now and the situation she was in was enough crazy to keep her busy for a while. 

"Away," he answered, amusement flowing in his tone. 

"No shit, you entitled jerk," she shot back, anger overriding her fear. 

"Yes, fire, I like that," his hand reaching up, brushing the hair back from her face and behind one ear. 

"Don't touch me!" she snapped, pushing backwards and almost falling onto her backside. 

"Oh my dear," his silken words flowed, both hands raising to grasp her forearms once more, gentle and caressing this time. The green of his eyes fading like the light of a dying sunset, the blue swirling in as a new and terrifying tide. "I'm going to do much, much more."


	2. Keeping You

Chapter Two - Keeping You

Darcy sat with her back against the stone wall, watching all the activity around her with no small amount of amazement. Barton had somehow gathered Loki a tiny human army; enemies of Shield, he'd claimed. Most hadn't even needed to be mind controlled, just the thought and pleasure of screwing over Shield apparently enough for them to sign on. Equipment and tools were being brought in, directed by Eric who was riding a manic high and had been working non stop since Barton had gotten everyone underground and secure. 

One of the first things Loki had done upon arriving was hand her off to Barton, who had zip tied her bonded wrists to a solid metal pipe in the wall. He hadn't even seemed to notice her, staring almost through her as she had pleaded and cried to him to let her go. She'd tried for the first couple of hours to get someone to release her, calling for Eric or even one of the non-Loki controlled goons, but had been completely ignored by everyone around her. 

Next, she had tried shaking the pipe, thinking that if it was old and rusted enough, she might be able to pull it from the wall. She'd made little, if any, progress there, but she had to try something, right? Looking down at her wrist, she could see bruises rising from her constant effect on the bindings. 

She could only imagine what she must look like; tear stained, dirty, and bruised. Her black leggings were torn in both knees, her purple cardigan hanging off one shoulder, and the grey tank top underneath ripped along the hem. Both her palms were covered in rust, where she'd grabbed the pipe in frustration and shaken it to get free; it hadn't worked, hadn't even moved the pipe, but it had made her feel better to get out some anger. 

She refused to think about the things Loki had said on the way here; her not being human or what he might have planned for not just her, but with the Tesseract as well. If he had to come to Earth in such violence and bloodshed to get his mission completed, she couldn't imagine it would go well for her planet. 

As if she'd conjured him into being, Loki turned a corner and came straight for her. Standing quickly, Darcy tried to push herself farther back, but her bonded wrist won't allow anymore give, even if a wall hadn't been at her back. This was the Loki that came through the Tesseract portal; manic smile, unnatural blue eyes, sweaty and panting, and seeming to have zero regard for human life. 

The staff was missing from his hands, but that gave her little comfort; she'd seen the strength Thor and his Warriors had, they could crush a human body with little effort. She had little doubt that if he wanted to hurt her, there was nothing she could do to stop it. And judging from the mind controlled people and assorted gathered "bad guys", no one would even raise a hand to stop him. However, that didn't mean she had to roll over and accept her fate. 

"Don't you touch me," she protested weakly, hating how small her voice sounded. 

Loki ignored her, reaching out with one hand to cradle her chin so that she had nowhere to look except at him. The other reached for the binding keeping her tethered to the pipe; a sharp tug and it gave way, freeing her from her spot by the wall, but leaving her wrist still bond together. Snagging her wrists, he pulled her closer, staring into her eyes with such intense concentration, Darcy was afraid he was trying to magic something horrible for her. 

There was that tingle again, something brushing under her skin and then gone just as quickly. Darcy stilled, watching his eyes turn back to memorizing green and remaining there. Fear and anger gave way to confusion, causing her to ask, "What-?" 

But as she spoke, it was like a flood gate opened up and the blue washed back in. Loki released her chin, falling back a step and grunting, as if in pain. "No!" he shouted, reaching for her again. Darcy's back slammed into the brick behind her, causing her to cry out in pain and no small amount of anger; Loki followed her, pinning her to the wall with his own body as his hand grabbed for her chin once more. "Be still and look at me," he growled, lowering his head so their foreheads almost touched. 

A sob worked it way up her throat, tears streaming down her face as she was forced to make eye contact with him again. Blue shown bright and memorizing, swirling and rippling franticly, like an angry sea determined to take the world with it. But again, the longer he forced her to look at him, the more she could see green ribbons snaking back in, rolling over the blue in a strange ballet for dominance. Darcy keep her mouth shut this time, afraid of his next reaction should she speak out again. She could feel that brush under her skin, almost pulsing before disappearing again. It wasn't painful or uncomfortable, but still it was something feign he was causing and she didn't like it one bit.

Loki was trembling, lowing his head the remaining few inches that separated them to rest lightly on hers. More sobs broke from her, shaking her whole body as time seemed to drag by while he held her there, trapped against him and held captive in his glaze. 

Finally, the blue had completely melted from his eyes and amused green shone through. Loki released her chin, closing his eyes and seeming to rest against her for the moment, his hand going to her shoulder and rubbing softly. Darcy turned her head away, thinking only to get a reprieve from him. 

"Shhhh," he whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against her gently. "The worst has past, but I fear I will need to use your powers again." 

"I don't," Darcy sobbed, her voice breaking. She hating him in that moment for making her this wrecked, crying, helpless woman. She pushed against him, trying to break free and put some distance between them, but meeting only solid muscle. "I don't have powers. Just let me go." 

Loki pulled away from her, looking down at her turned away and dirty face. The little mortal was covered in dirt, tear tracks running down her face, clothing a mess and shaking in terror. He sighed, thinking of what he would need to do and her part in all this. Poor little thing, he thought not unkindly, she has no idea the things she could do. But she will, he vowed. 

Aloud, he simply stated, "Come, there is still much to do." Reaching for her arm, he frowned at the flinch she gave as his hand closed over her. "What's this?" he asked, reaching to pull her cardigan sleeve down over her shoulder. 

"N-no!" she protested, trying to pull away. 

"Stop it, mortal, I need to see what you've done to yourself," he snapped, ripping her clothing as he was trying to work it over her shoulder as she thrashed against his hold. Yanking harshly, he ripped the sleeve from her, leaving it hanging in tatters down her arm, caught by the binds on her wrist. 

Loki sucked in a sharp breath, gazing with no small amount of shame at the black and blue patchwork running from shoulder to elbow along her creamy skin. Quickly, he ripped the other side down, destroying her clothing in one go to reveal both arms, bruised and angry to his sight. He could plainly see the shape of his hand, his fingers painted on her skin; his mind replayed every time he'd grabbed for her, every time he'd pulled her where he wanted without thought. 

He raised his eyes to hers, the starlit blue resentful and defiant. Fire indeed, he thought, even as he saw more tears gathering in the dark depths. "Forgive me," he muttered, lifting one pale hand to brush along the marks. "I forget how delicate mortals can be." With a light fleck, he sent a healing charm running along both arms, erasing the damage and causing a light balm of soothing air to rush along her skin, raising gooseflesh in its wake. 

The girl startled, eye widening as she watched the skin healing, bruises bleeding away as if they had never been. But the pain had been real, she reminded herself, and just because he can remove bruises doesn't mean he won't cause more. 

"You were an intern, yes? Helping Jane Foster and your Doctor Selvig?" he asked now, leading her from her prison position to the cluster of activity where Eric was holding court. 

"Yes," Darcy answered slowly, unsure where this was going.

"Darcy Lewis, student of politics, daughter of Henry and Ellen Lewis-"

"You leave my parents out of this," she growled, surprised at the venom in her own voice. The second the words were out of her mouth, however, she realized her mistake. 

A small, wicked smile graced his lips as he stopped in front of the experiment tent Eric was working in. "Yes, your parents. Best remember them while your here, Ms. Lewis," he started, giving her a little push into the enclosure with Eric. "Help Selvig and remember your parents, because if you try to escape or delay the good doctor here, I might have to drop in and pay an unpleasant visit to them." 

Darcy whirled around, mouth open for empty threats and false bravo. She snapped it shut as Loki reached forward, a deadly looking dagger in one hand. She tried to step back, but he was already reaching for her, pulling her close by her bond hands. Quicker than she could track with her eyes, he had sliced through the plastic and freed her hands. With that, he turned his back on her, leaving her staring after him in fury and terror. 

Eric came up behind her, hand resting on her shoulder in comfort. But when she turned to face him, it wasn't the Eric she had grown to know and love. This was a stranger with Eric's face, following a mad man and perhaps dooming everyone along the way. 

"Come, Darcy," he said, pulling her along with him to a terminal where various parts and wires lay. "There is so much we can learn, so much we can do."

"Oh, Eric," Darcy sighed, tears coming to the surface once more, following him with a heavy heart and no real choice. 

*~*

Agent Phil Coulson waited for Director Fury to step away from the bridge, waited for him to not be surrounded by agents giving updates, and waited for him to quietly slip into his office. Coulson followed, closing the door softly behind him. 

Fury was sitting behind his desk, turned away and gazing out the large windows that flooded the room with light. "I know what you're here to ask and, no, I am not changing my mind about it."

Coulson said nothing, simply took one of the two chairs facing the Director's desk and laid the classified file he'd been carrying on the desk in front of him. 

Fury turned, spying the file. "What's that?" 

"Darcy Lewis' file," Coulson answered, not moving to open or push the file closer to the director. 

Fury sighed heavily, his one eye staring coldly at Coulson for what felt like a lifetime. "I know what's in her file; I put it there myself."

"Don't you think they should know? At least Captain Rogers?" Coulson countered, refusing to back down from his superior officer. 

"To what end? Does it change the fact that Loki still has her, or Barton, or Selvig?" Fury refused to back down; there was more than one reason to keep Darcy's information from the newly formed Avengers, but Coulson wasn't aware of those. While it was true that Fury had included the information Coulson found in her file, he had also left out still more. And now, with Loki having shown such interest in her at the compound, he was thankful he'd had the foresight to keep it to himself. 

"Information has power," Fury continued, dismissing Coulson with a hard finality. "The only thing they need to know right now," he pointed toward his closed office door to drive home the point he was making, "is that a dangerous being has taken hostages and possession of the Tesseract. That will be all, Agent Coulson." 

Fury turned back to his windows, watching the clouds fly by. Coulson stood, pulling the file with him as he left. He closed the door behind him and turned, only a little surprised to see Agent Romanoff waiting for him in the corridor. 

Coulson sighed, but he knew there was little, if any, way to keep something from Natasha Romanoff, especially when she was completely invested in getting Barton back. 

"Coulson," she started, cooly. 

"Romanoff," he answered, warmer than her greeting, but no less guarded. 

"Banner is settled in the lab and Rogers is waiting on deck for you," she briefed, eyes dropping to the file he held to his chest. 

"Thank you, Agent Romanoff," he answered, walking toward the bridge. Natasha fell in step seamlessly beside him, other people in the tiny corridor moving aside to let them pass. 

Silence fell between them, not heavy and restricting, but still there. Both knew that had Barton been here, there would be sarcastic comments being thrown left and right, amusing antics that lowered the tension and kept everyone's spirits up. However, Barton was not here and the situation was dire. 

"I have something for you, Agent Romanoff." Coulson started, knowing this would come back and bite him in the butt, but uncaring at the moment. Captain Rodgers would want to know, and perhaps even Stark. They would never work as a team if they didn't start sharing information. 

"I assumed," she murmured, eyes cutting to the file in his hands once more. 

"I want this shared, between you, Rodgers, Banner, and Stark. No one else needs to know, not right now. Fury and Hill are to remain outside this mission, is that understood?" Coulson knew he could trust Natasha to pick up his meaning; this was against a direct order from his superior officer, but as long as he never stated that to her, she could claim she was just following orders from her superior officer. Sometimes the chain of command worked in his favor. 

"Understood," was her answer, though he had worked with her long enough that he picked up the tiniest bit of curiosity hanging in the air. 

The file slipped easily from him to her as they turned a corner, her presenting him with a different file from who knows where and his disappearing from sight. Since the exchange had been made on a turn, there would be no camera angle to capture Coulson's failure to obey. He had little doubt, however, that Fury wouldn't still have some evidence of the act, but that wouldn't be until after the fact. 

With their business concluded, Agent Romanoff turned another corner and was gone; little doubt in Coulson's mind to look over the file first by herself before sharing with her new team mates. Coulson continued his way to the bridge, going to meet with the Captain and see how process at finding Loki was going. 

One way or another, they were getting their people back; even the intern Fury had not disclosed to the Avengers that had been taken.


	3. Exposing You

Chapter Three - Exposing You

Captain Steven Rogers stared at the file in his hand, emotions rolling wild and uncertainty souring his stomach. They had Loki locked away, Stark and Banner were running some program to find the missing Tesseract, Thor was keeping vigil over various monitors centered on Loki, and Coulson and Fury were on the bridge with Hill, keeping more secrets, no doubt. 

Romanoff stood before him, the condemning weapons behind her. Shield, perfecting Hydra's weapons; wanting the Tesseract to use for their own purposes of war. Steve had headed below deck after his confrontation with Stark and Banner, wanting to prove that Shield wasn't hiding some nefarious plot.

But he'd been wrong; Shield was developing weapons like he'd seen Hydra use before going into the ice. Others would be powerless and unmatched under such an assault. And now this, a thin file on an unknown intern who had also been taken by Loki. 

"Why does this matter?" he asked, skimming through the first page without really reading much, eyes falling to the small surveillance style black-and-white of a young, carefree woman smiling to someone off screen. Her eyes were wide and happy, no clue that she was being followed or watched. Civilian, Steve's mind screamed. "So Loki took more hostages than Fury disclosed, what makes her important?"

"Because," Romanoff stated softly, and Steve felt a velvet finger run up his spine. Soft from her wouldn't end well for others, he realized. "Her grandfather was in the 107th, captured and tortured at Azzano."

Steve felt his stomach drop, pain burning through him as memories flooded in; Bucky strapped down, mumbling his rank and social security number. Steve had known something had happened to Bucky there, some kind of torture, but it was simply "shell shock" back then and not something you would ask about. He wished now he'd taken the time. 

"The file states that Matthew Lewis, Darcy's paternal grandfather, was subject to the same torture, experiments, and abuse Sargent Barnes was. Lewis and Barnes are believed to be the only survivors." 

"Experiments?" Steve asked, realizing he was in the dark about that part of Bucky's capture. 

Natasha held his eyes unflinching. "They were trying to recreate the Erskine Serum." 

"How'd he get out?" Steve forced out, remembering vividly that he and Bucky had made no effort to search for more "test subjects" while seeking a way out. 

"He claimed in a report to his superiors that he got the door open and fled with the other prisoners. No one ever looked deeper into his claims and he marched out of the compound with you and the Howling Commandos. After, he was discharged and lived out the rest of his life peacefully. Shield kept tabs on him and his family through the years, but nothing unusual ever came from them, so they were left alone." Romanoff was watching him closely while she continued. "Whatever was done to him, Shield thinks it may have been passed on to Darcy's father and then to Darcy herself. She's more than likely not even aware that it's there; her father has never shown any signs of something different and neither has she, but Coulson thinks that Loki could feel it in her, some kind of draw and that's why he took her."

"To make her a weapon?" Steve asked, dreading the answer. 

Romanoff was silent, letting Steve draw his own conclusions. She knew how men acted with power; they would take it for their own or keep anyone else from having it, by whatever means necessary. 

"Have you informed the others?" Steve asked, wondering their reactions to the news.

"Stark and Banner; I let them know right before coming to you. I have zero doubt that one of them is sharing with Thor at the moment; Stark can't keep anything to himself for long. Banner was upset, given his own dealings with recreating the serum. Stark seemed indifferent, but that's usually just a cover for him." She shrugged, she had worked with Stark long enough to know how his moods went. "Thor also has a personal tie to the girl; she was present when he first made contact with Earth and is close friends with Jane Foster and Doctor Selvig." 

Steve nodded, wondering how that personal tie would fall between them and Thor's tie to Loki. He hoped the girl didn't fall to the fringes of Thor's protection should the Asgardian place his brother first. She didn't deserve that, she didn't deserve to be mixed up in any of this mess, he thought, his eyes falling back to the black-and-white of the girl. 

"Agent Romanoff," Steve started, lowering the file and facing her head on. "Whatever happens next, whatever comes from Loki's plotting or planning, this is now a rescue mission. Selvig, Barton, Lewis, and whoever else Loki has taken away. And we keep them from any other threats that come their way, wherever they be." His voice was hard and flat, betrayal at Shield and grief for Bucky hardening his features and setting his composure. "Do we have an understanding?"

Natasha Romanoff kept her blank mask in place, seeing for the first time the Captain that would crash his own plane into frozen waters rather than risk the lives of people who weren't even aware that they were in danger. This was the selfless man that had been remade for the better. The solider turned hero. 

She nodded, taking the file back to return to Coulson. "Yes, sir, Captain," was her fading answer as she turned a corner and was gone, heading to Loki's containment unit to start her own brand of questioning. 

*~*

Darcy stared at the machine Selvig was tinkering with, unsure of its use besides the "unimaginable things" speech Erik had given her. Honestly, she wasn't even sure she wanted to know what it did, as it had consumed Erik's every waking moment. She had force-fed him some protein bars and bottled waters one of the agents had brought, but he wouldn't stop for anything, determined to complete his work for Loki. 

Darcy had been shocked when they had been moved from their under ground bunker to the roof top of Stark Tower. Agents had practically dropped them from the sky in one of Shield's "now-you-can't-see-me" jets before disappearing once more. And now she had a glorious view of New York, the city laid out before her in shinning steel and metal. 

She laughed to herself, she had only gone along with Shield sending her to Selvig because she hadn't wanted to come here and spend time with her mom and dad. Now, watching as Erik tolled away at something she knew deep down he had no business messing with, Darcy wished she was sitting in her living room, listening to her mom arguing with her dad in the kitchen about Darcy wasting her life with political science when she should be in business school, readying herself to join in on the family business. 

Tears sprang, but she forced them down, turning with a fake smile to Erik. "Hey, Erik, don't you think you should maybe take a break?" She knew the answer before she asked, but she did it anyway. 

Erik barely looked up, hands flying across the keyboard and eyes lit with that unnatural blue. "Darcy, come look. See how this is going to change the world." 

Before she could answer, there was a deep, mechanical voice behind them. "Shut it down, Dr. Selvig." Turning, Darcy felt the first real flare of hope as Iron Man flew above them, hovering in the air. 

"It's too late!" Erik shouted back, startling Darcy. Too late? Too late for what?

"She can't stop now." Erik continued, that manic edge back in his voice. "She wants to show us something! A new universe!" 

"Okay," Iron Man muttered, raising his hands to fire at the machine. Darcy quickly shuffled back, raising her own hands to show she was harmless. Iron Man's head turned to her for the briefest moment before lighting back on the Tesseract. He fired, the blast meeting with a protective shield and flinging both Iron Man and Erik back and away. 

Darcy hands flew up to her face to protect it, thinking she was about to be thrown back as well, but the shielding stopped as it came toward her. That tingle was back, skirting under her skin and then away before she fully knew what it was. 

Turning, she thought maybe Loki was near by and causing it. But no, she was alone. Erik had slammed his head on a low metal wall, knocking him out cold. Iron Man was nowhere in sight, perhaps blown clear by the blast. 

So what was that? Darcy asked herself, her feet moving her closer to the Tesseract without her even noticing. The glow of the Cube was hypnotic, twisting and turning as the machine came to life, the top spinning and gaining momentum with every rotation. Darcy could feel heat pulsing, but it was like background noise to her, barely even registering as she walked forward. 

That sensation came again, washing over her from head to toe, lingering under her skin. It felt horrible. 

It felt wonderful. 

Power was pulsing, in her, in the air, and she could feel it. Taste it. Like honey on her tongue, sweet and right there for the taking. Low hanging fruit she couldn't resist. 

Darcy came to a sudden stop, realizing her feet had carried her right up to the machine and her hand was out stretched, almost touching the Tesseract. She jerked back, afraid of what she'd been doing, afraid because she didn't know what she'd been doing. 

She forced herself to turn away, to rush to Erik's side and try to wake him. There was a large knot forming on the side of his head; he won't be waking anytime soon. Even still, she shook him, calling out, "Wake up, Erik, come on man. We gotta get out of here." 

But even as the words left her mouth, she could feel that pulse again, flashing through the air behind her. Turning, she saw the machine shoot a beam of energy into the sky, a portal ripping through the blue sky. 

"Oh shit," Darcy muttered, hands tightening on Erik to ground her into the here and now. 

*~*

Loki clutched his side, pain radiating from where Stark had shot him. Normally he should have been able to shake off that weak blast, but with everything his body had already been through, he's weakened state, the pain lingered, a sharp reminder of all that was at stake. 

He stood slowly, using the wall behind him to steady himself. He only allowed himself a brief moment to catch a breath, banking on Stark being right about the other Avengers, as he called them, coming to join the fight. He felt the floor under him shake, eyes going up. The Tesseract was working, the portal was open. 

He needed to get to the roof.


	4. Using You

Chapter Four - Using You

Darcy was still staring in shock at the giant rip in space above her, unbelieving what her eyes were witnessing. As she watched, figures started flying out, tiny dots that grew larger and larger, zooming down and firing upon the city without rhyme or reason. She could hear explosions from the streets, screams piercing through the air and rising. 

Her hands started pulling on Erik, who still lay out cold on the floor. "Come on, Erik, you got to wake up. We need to go!" 

Suddenly, a steal band wrapped around her middle, pulling her up and away from Erik. She screamed, hands flying to scratch and pull at the restraint. 

"Come now, Ms. Lewis," said the silken voice of Loki in her ear, "I told you I would need your assistance again." 

"Let me go, you psychopath!" she screamed back, battering his arm with her fists while kicking her feet to try to throw him off balance. 

"Now, now," Loki chided, easily carrying her closer to the Tesseract. "No need for name calling." He halted a mere foot from the glowing and pulsing Cube, his right hand coming up and locking around her wrist. "All you need to do is lend me a hand." 

Darcy struggled, harder than she had ever fought in her life, pulling for all she was worth, pushing back into Loki to get away from the blazing Cube. But Loki was just too strong for her, an immovable brick wall with zero give. 

"No, stop!" she screamed, feeling that pull again, that tingle of power. It was everything she wanted, power looming just out of reach. 

It was utterly terrifying. 

"Loki!" the thunderous yell stilled the man behind her, freezing him in place. "Loki, you stop this madness!" 

Loki let out a sigh, his icy breath sending her hair blowing across her face. "Does he have to be so dramatic?" Loki asked, almost to himself, as he turned with her still held before him to face his brother. 

"Hello, brother, I see you survived the fall," Loki smirked, laughter rumbling from within. 

"Loki, you let her go and you stop this, now." Thor commanded, eyes not breaking from Loki's. There was steel in his voice, resolve to stop his brother at whatever cost. 

"That is exactly what I am trying to do," Loki sighed again, dipping his head to whisper into Darcy's ear, "He falls for this every time." 

Darcy tried to call a warning, but Thor was already moving, jumping toward an illusion of her and Loki, swinging his hammer toward fake-Loki's head. Thor fell to the ground near Erik, sailing through the illusion and smacking hard enough to shake the ground beneath them. Loki flung the arm not pinning Darcy to him out, casting some kind of charm over Thor that kept him pinned down. Thor yelled his fury, the sound raising the hairs along Darcy's arms and the back of her neck, as thunder rumbled in the distance. 

"So predictable," Loki chuckled, turning back to the Cube and pulling Darcy closer once more. 

"Now, where were we?" Loki asked her, seizing her wrist again and raising her hand to the Cube. 

"What are you doing!" she yelled, eyes transfixed on the machine in front of her. 

"Stopping the madness, what else?" came his flippant reply as he pushed her hand flat against the Cube. 

Heat flared within her, burning her from the inside out. Honey flowed down her body, wrapping her in a golden cage. 

The whole of the world, of the universe, laid out before her. 

Anywhere. Everywhere. 

Her's for the taking. 

Her's for the keeping.

*~*

Loki hissed, the heat from the girl before him burning hotter than a thousand suns, blazing across him and forcing him back. He dropped her wrist, arm falling from her waist as he was forced back, contact completely broken and shoved back several feet by an unrelenting force. 

He slit his eyes against the bright glow, barely able to make out the figure of Darcy Lewis, hand steady and body still as she touched the Cube. 

"What have you done!" boomed his oaf of a brother behind him, breaking free from Loki's charm and rushing forward. One mighty hand clammed along the back of Loki's neck, holding him in place, while the other raised to fling Mjolnir at the Tesseract. 

"Stop!" Loki screamed, reaching for Thor's side, a tiny dagger finding purchase in the gap of Thor's armour. Thor grunted, the action more surprise than pain. 

But it was too late; he had already released the hammer and it was sailing unrelenting to the girl and the Cube. 

However, right before making contact with the Cube, the hammer stopped, vibrating in midair, not moving forward nor falling to the ground. Darcy's head turned, blue eyes impossibly bright as they stared unseeing over her shoulder. She dropped her hand from the Cube as she turned to face them, her whole being seeming to pulse with blue light as the Tesseract behind her went dark. 

Thor's hammer fell hard to the ground, unnoticed by the three. 

"Darcy," Thor managed, horror and fear lacing his voice. 

The girl didn't even react, just continued her path to the edge of the building, staring silently over the city. Loki tried to move, tried to step forward, but something was holding him in place, such powerful magic far beyond anything he could manage. 

"Darcy," Thor tried again, voice pleading as the brunette stepped up to the low wall, still gazing at some point they couldn't see. 

She didn't answer, instead she turned, eyes raised to stare straight up at the opening in space. More creatures were flying out, more destruction raining down on the city below. The acid smell of burning buildings and cars wafting up to them. Something in her face hardened, some deep resolve she was pulling from deep within herself. 

Loki and Thor both turned to the portal opening, watching as it sealed itself back closed, crushing a Chitauri carrier in half as it tried to pass through. Another portal opened below the rapidly falling front half, bright light shining through the opening, swallowing it completely before closing again. Tiny portals started opening all around the city, right in the paths of flying Chitauri, who flew into the burning light before the portals closed behind them. 

Within seconds, the entire first wave of the attack had been taken care of, flying themselves into portals and disappearing from sight. 

Loki heard the clank of Stark's mechanical boots hitting the roof behind them, felt the air wafting around them as a flying jet landed, the stomping of booted feet coming down the ramp. All the Avenger's, save Dr. Banner and his monster persona, assembled as promised. A smirk curled his lips, but he quickly dropped it when Darcy turned to face the gathered heroes and her eyes scanned over them all, stopping on him. 

"Ms. Lewis," called the Captain, stepping up to the girl, but stopping with a good five feet between them. Smart man, Loki thought. "Ms. Lewis, are you ok?" 

Darcy let out a sharp laugh, that ended on a soft sob. Her body seemed to give out on her, knees buckling as she fell to the ground, hard. 

In a shocking move, Stark himself stepped forward, kneeling before her in concern. "Hey, kid, you alright?" This was a side Loki didn't think the flippant man had; Barton hadn't shared this, or hadn't known himself. 

"No," she said softly, eyes fixed on the ground before her. She raised her head slowly, locking glaze with Loki. He felt the first shiver of fear since stepping on this wretched Earth. "But I will be." 

Before anyone could react, a portal opened below her and she fell through, the opening sealing up behind her. 

Stark jerked back in surprise, landing hard on his backside as the Captain reached a steadying hand out for him. "The fuck--!"

All eyes rounded on Loki, who shrugged, raising his hands, false smile painted on his lips. "Kids these days, right?"


	5. Help Me

Chapter Five - Help Me 

Jane Foster stared down at the sleeping girl on her bed, worry and anxiety warring within her. Reaching down, she brushed back the unruly brown curls, remembering when she had first met Darcy Lewis and how she had wished, for one fleeting moment, that she herself had such curls and volume. It had been an off-handed thought, there and gone almost without her even processing it completely. 

Darcy had come to her office, turning in her application to be Jane's intern. Jane hadn't even glanced at the paperwork before showing Darcy to her cluster-fuck of a desk and having her work some kind of order into it. After all, the posting was due to come down the next day and Darcy was the only one to have walked through her door ready and willing to help; Jane figured they might as well get to work. Three days later, they had been driving out to New Mexico in Jane's "monster van", as Darcy dubbed it. 

It hadn't taken long for the two to become close; being alone in the middle of nowhere, knowing only each other, had certainly helped. Also, that over sized bottle of tequila Darcy had brought back one night with take-out Tex-Mex to make margaritas with had helped them open up a lot to each other; Jane had learned all about Darcy's parents, what they wanted from her, and what she herself wanted. Darcy had sat and listened as Jane's own insecurities had spilled out of her; the thought that maybe this path she was following, that she had risked everything for, was going nowhere. 

They had gone silent for a while, both lost in thought as they sipped from their drinks, staring into the night sky. 

Darcy had turned to her then. "You know what Jane? We're going to be our family now; you support me, and I'll support you. If you think there is something out here, I'll help you find it."

Jane had laughed, liking the idea. "And what will I do for you?" 

Darcy had gone silent, eyes dropping to the empty glass before her. "You can just be there, when I need it, ok?" 

Jane had reached over, stretching so that she could take Darcy's hand. "Ok, Darce, whenever, wherever you need me, I'm there." 

And Jane had kept that promise, was keeping it now, hours after Darcy had literally dropped from nowhere and landed in a sobbing heap at Jane's feet. Jane remembered standing there in confusion, starring at her best friend, shocked to have her here, in Norway. Darcy was supposed to be working with Erik, hidden away on some task for Shield. 

Jane had dropped to her knees before her, hands reaching. 

"Don't touch!" Darcy had screamed, sliding back. "I can't--- I can't control it completely yet." 

Jane froze, heart hammering a million miles a minute, waiting for her friend to let her know what was going on. 

Darcy was taking deep breaths, eyes slammed shut, sweat breaking out along her brow. With one final shuttering exhale, she nodded, eyes still closed. "Ok, I think I have it now." She raised her head, eyes opening for the first time. 

Jane gasped, reaching for Darcy at the same time asking, "What happened to you? Your eyes..." 

Darcy clapped her tight, as if she needed an anchor to this world. Maybe she did, Jane thought. 

Where once Darcy had had bright, laughing blue eyes, now there was a luminous glow to them, circling the irises like a flowing river; a pulsing star in a black sky. It was the most beautiful thing Jane had ever seen; but also the most terrifying. 

It wasn't natural. 

After Jane had gotten her calmed down, Darcy was able to tell her everything; working on the Tesseract with Erik; Loki coming through a portal and taking her, Erik, and an Agent Barton with him; being hidden under ground while Erik worked out a machine to harness the Tesseract's power; Loki's strange behavior and him "using her powers"; being taken to New York to complete Erik's machine; the aliens flying through the portal opened over Stark tower; Loki forcing her to touch the Cube. 

Darcy had broken down there, trying to tell Jane everything that had happened to her. "There was such heat, Jane. A thousand suns, trapped in my palm. But it didn't hurt; there was no pain, just power. And I wanted it, I wanted all of it. What kind of person does that make me, Jane? I wanted that power, so bad I forgot everything else." A sob escaped her, her body shaking. "I forgot that people were dying, buildings were falling and burning. All those people trapped, but I just wanted that power, power I could feel, just outside of my reach." 

Jane had pulled her close, unsure what to say. The girl had clearly been through hell, pulling herself out by her finger nails. She needed rest, time to shut her brain down and restart. "Shhhh," Jane had murmured, pulling her and Darcy up from the floor. "Just rest. It can wait, Darcy; I'm here for you now." 

Darcy had offered no resistance, letting Jane lead her to the tiny twin bed and laying down. Darcy had reached for Jane's hand as she'd turned away. "Don't tell them where I am." 

Jane had felt the pressure of Darcy's grip, the terror coursing through her. "I won't." She'd promised, unsure how she would be able to keep this secret, but willing to undertake it anyway. Shield was bound to come for her again, now that the threat to New York was over. How was Jane going to hide Darcy in the tiny dorm room she'd been hastily assigned? 

But looking at the girl now, who had been sleeping and unmoving for the last few hours, Jane realized her fears were unfounded; Shield had enough to deal with now, cleaning up the damage at Stark Tower and the fallout of an alien attack. Jane had been pushed to the back burner, and that suited her just fine. 

She did, however, feel a twinge of anger, knowing that Thor was here, on Earth, yet not with her. Had he forgotten about her so quickly? Darcy had told her Thor was there on the roof with Loki, fighting his brother; was Shield keeping him away, had they been keeping her location secret from him to keep him working with them? 

Jane didn't know which answer she would have preferred, but all those insecurities were back, twisting her insides and winkling her forehead. She absently jotted down ideas into her ever present notebook, pencil trailing the paper to form equations and absent thoughts as they entered her head. 

"You always scratch things in that book when you're worried," came a dry voice from the bed. 

Jerking her head up, Jane stared at her friend, who was sitting up and looking so much better than when she'd literally dropped from above hours earlier. 

"You gave me a lot to worry about," she replied, putting the book down and settling herself beside Darcy on the bed. The younger woman laid her head on Jane's shoulder, both content with the quiet. 

"I can travel, wherever I want," Darcy stated, voice hushed and unsure. "I just think about it and can go. I wanted all those aliens killing all those innocent people to burn, so I opened a door to the sun and sent them all to Hell." 

Shock held Jane's tongue, although she was smart enough to admit that she wouldn't have known what to say if she wasn't shocked. 

"Do you want to see?" Darcy asked, voice soft and fleeting. 

"Only if you want to show me," Jane answered, not sure what she was agreeing to, but wanting to show her friend support. 

Blue smoke billowed from the nothingness, rippling like dark water across the room. The folds parted like a fine velvet curtain, showcasing green grass and tall trees. Jane could hear the sounds of nature; birds chirping, water running somewhere in the distance, wind whipping in leaves over head. The sun was setting, painting the sky deep reds and blazing oranges. It was a place of peace, somewhere to reflect and find meaning. 

Jane could feel Darcy's eyes on her, waiting for some kind of reaction. Jane crawled to the end of the bed, hand reaching to feel the heat and warm of the place; the dorm room was cold and slightly damp, so there was no way wherever this was that it was near them. Darcy had opened a portal to another place, bridging the gap from here to there. 

It was amazing. 

Jane turned back to Darcy, a smile in place as she asked, "Can we pass through? How does it feel? What does it make you feel?" Questions were rolling through Jane, every theory and hypothesis she had ever had about Einstein Rosen Bridges being toss out the window as new ones rushed to the forefront of her mind. 

Darcy just laughed, climbing from the bed and taking Jane's hand in her own. Together, they stepped through. 

As Darcy closed the portal behind them, the doorway was kicked in and six Shield Agents stormed in, tactical vest loaded and guns drawn, looking for the as-of-that-moment missing Jane Foster, believed to be harboring Shield's Most Wanted - Darcy Lewis. 

*~*

Agent Clint Barton sat with his head down, weariness and defeat in every line of his body. He's briefing with Shield had ended hours ago, but he had remained behind at Stark Tower, unwilling to be shuffled along to a Shield approved shrink and ultimately removed from duty. Which he had no doubt would be the course of action Shield would take; he'd been used to attack and kill fellow agents, been used to bring down a carrier with over a hundred souls aboard. 

With Coulson gone, no agent, no handler, would ever work with him again. It didn't matter that it wasn't his fault and that he'd had no control; this was a black mark that would never come out of his file. 

Barton wanted be be angry at Loki, and a small part of him was, especially with Coulson's death (which he would deal with later). But he'd seen the way Loki had been when he first came through, seen him during his "reporting" session underground. Barton knew a pawn when he saw one and he couldn't find it in himself to blame someone going through the same as him for it. 

Nat sat beside him, saying nothing but still understanding his need to have her near. Other agents joked that him and Nat could have full hour long conversations within seconds in complete silence and Barton supposed they were right. Nat had refused orders to return to the carrier, to return to Fury. They were both going rouge and they knew it. 

But, that's what this situation called for. 

Tony Stark was settled across from them, staring down at a screen in his hands, looking over all the information that he could gather about one Darcy Maryellen Lewis. 

Another mark of shame against him, Clint thought, remembering the girls terrified face as Loki had pinned her to the wall in the underground bunker. Clint should have done something then, but the barrier in his mind hadn't let him. He'd been a prisoner in his own mind, gazing out unseeing eyes as Loki had manhandled her. Someone stronger would have been able to break free, helped her, gotten her away from him. 

"You couldn't have done anything," Nat murmured softly beside him, eyes trained on the tablet in Stark's hands as well. 

"You don't know that." Clint bit off, teeth clinching hard. 

"I do," came the voice of Thor behind them. "The Mind Stone is a powerful one; greater men than you have fallen to its powers and committed much worse. Do not despair, Clinton Barton, there is naught that could have stopped your actions but the one holding the reigns of its power." 

"Oh, like your little brother there?" Stark bit off, eyes flicking to Loki, who had been settled in a chair against the far wall, chains around his wrists and a muzzle covering his mouth. Loki seemed to smile back, lighting a fire of fury within Stark. 

"I kinda got the impression that Loki wasn't the one in charge of this little endeavor," came the voice of reason from Steven Rogers by his position at the open glass windows. Rogers was watching Loki as he spoke, seeming to choose his words carefully. "Taking the Tesseract from a Shield base, with witnesses. Letting himself be taken in Germany. Attacking a carrier and leaving behind valuable assets that could further his cause. A bottleneck invasion plan. That all reads like someone wanting their plan to fail." 

Barton swung his eyes from Rogers to Loki, watching as the amusement waned and, to the astonishment of everyone in the room, Loki nodded his head slightly to Captain America, as if congratulating him for puzzling it out. 

"Brother, is this true?" Thor asked, reaching for the muzzle and pulling it free. 

"Gods, was that in your pocket this whole time?" Loki asked, pulling his face back and shaking his head as if to clear away something foul. "Dear brother, basic hygiene is something that--."

Smack. The muzzle was back on and Thor was looking slightly embarrassed as he turned to the gathered Avengers. 

Barton let out a tiny laugh, the first real one he'd had since this whole disaster started. 

"I guess they really are brothers," muttered Nat beside him. 

From his unseen position laying on the floor behind Stark, Dr. Bruce Banner chimed in, "Not that this isn't amusing and trying to reason Loki's crazy ways out isn't fun, but shouldn't we be worried about finding Ms. Lewis? From the footage on the roof and what you've all stated, I would love to see what readings we could get from her acting on this power source--." 

"You are not experimenting on her," came echoing replies from both Rogers and Stark, shocking both of them.

Banner shook his head, a small smile flashing on his lips as his eyes closed and he relaxed further into the plush carpet. Transforming always took such a toll on his body and he just wanted to sleep. Maybe eat. But definitely enjoy this soft-as-velvet rug. "Not experimenting; asking her to tell us what happened and where she went. And maybe, if she would, show us."

"Don't we have to find her first?" asked Nat, rising from her spot on the couch and walking to stand beside Rogers, staring out at the New York skyline before her. "And how do we even do that? The girl opened her own portal and disappeared through it." 

"Allegedly," commented Banner from the floor, ever the scientist; without visible proof for himself, he would hold to theories. 

"She has family here in the city, but Shield has already descended on them and basically locked them down. Sitwell headed there right after taking the staff." Stark answered, eyes back on the tablet before him, scrolling through the information Jarvis had collected. 

"Pretty well to do family too," he muttered, eyes wondering back and forth. "Looks like Lewis has a shinning future in front of her, thanks to Daddy's money. But no crazy rebellions, no weekend benders with Mommy's credit card. Nothing that's ever been flagged or slapped into a gossip rag. Shield doesn't even have much on them after the grandfather left the army; he went to college, meet a woman, graduated, started an investment firm, had one son. Wife died in childbirth, son continued in father's steps, minus the army time and torture. Pretty basic family, if you don't count the multimillion dollar fortune. They've even been invited to more than a few of my own parties. Always turned down the invitation, but sent checks for all charities and galas. Seems like a pretty private family, actually." 

"So, the total opposite of you?" Nat asked, turning from her view to cock an elegant eyebrow at Tony. 

"One, rude," Tony replied, raising a finger. "Two, correct." 

"Gramps didn't like Howard Stark, so Dad never wanted to go against him by attending a Stark party." 

Every head whipped around, watching as Darcy Lewis and Jane Foster stepped through blue smoke into one of the most secure buildings in New York. "Hello," Darcy ended awkwardly, waving at the group of heroes before her. 

"My Jane," Thor said, stepping past everyone to make a bee line for his lady. 

"Thor!" Jane called, running to meet him half way. She threw herself into his arms, the thick bands of muscles wrapping around her completely. "Oh, I was so worried!" 

Barton saw Loki rolling his eyes and let out another little laugh; Nat jerked around to look at him, but he just shrugged and settled further down, letting himself relax into the cushions. 

"Well, a lot of people didn't like Howard, so that's not much of a surprise." Tony said, walking toward Darcy. "This, however, is a nice surprise," he said, gesturing to the younger woman. 

Darcy eyed him warily, glaze flicking from him to Nat, Bruce, and Steve, and finally to Loki. She looked like a cornered animal and Barton's heart went out to her; Steve had been right, this kid didn't deserve any of this. 

"Ms. Lewis," Rogers started, stepped up beside Sark. Barton rolled his own eyes at the movement; they might have meant it to be a comforting show of support, but after the hell she'd been through, it just seemed like a herding attempt. 

Sure enough, the girl backed up a step, eyes scanning the room once more, panic in every line of her body. "Look, I can leave, you never saw me," she managed, edging back a little more, hands up in defense. 

Something in Darcy's voice reached through Jane's love-haze, prompting the scientist to turn from Thor's arms. Anger vibrated through her as she stomped across the room and planted herself before her younger friend. 

"Back off," she snapped, actually reaching out and shoving against Tony Stark's chest. "She's been through enough without you lot attacking her too." 

Thor stationed himself behind Jane, shielding Darcy even farther from the assembled Avengers. His face was hard and set, hand tightening around the hammer he wielded; no one would be getting to Darcy while he was around. 

Stark and Rogers both shared a look; they had already gone toe-to-toe with Thor and knew that if he turned against them, there would be no stopping him. Best for everyone if they could keep the god happy. 

Barton rolled to his feet, stepping forward with a long drawn out sigh. All eyes turned to him, unsure what he's intentions were. "You know what I miss?" he asked, stopping just short of Jane's fierce glare. "Spaghetti night at the base. That pasta was out of this world." 

Every face in the room except Darcy's was looking at him as if questioning if his mind was truly gone from Loki's messing with it. Surely that would explain this odd turn of events. 

Darcy, however, was smiling, her body relaxing as she realized she might have an ally after all, beyond Jane and Thor. 

"Yeah," she replied, reaching a hand out to clasp Jane's. "But I bet I could make it better." 

"No way," Barton claimed, drawing even with her, while keeping an eye out for Thor's hammer; that would hurt like a bitch to get smacked with. 

"Oh, you're on, Secret Agent Man," Darcy exclaimed, pulling Jane with her as she closed the last few feet to Clint's side. "Where's the kitchen at in this place?" 

"Wait, what just happened?" Stark asked, hands flaying hazardously about his person. 

"I'm going to make the best damn spaghetti anyone in the building has ever had." Darcy proclaimed, eyes roving over everyone and stopping on Loki. "And while I do that, Bat-Shit-Crazy over there is going to tell me what the hell he did to me." 

Steve was shaking his head, this bizarre turn of events making his head hurt. "You want to make pasta? Ms. Lewis--."

"Darcy," she interrupted, now walking freely around the penthouse with Jane's hand still firmly in hers. 

"Darcy," he amended, "We need to sit down and discuss what's happened--."

"And you totally can, Mr. Star-Spangled. But I'm hungry, I smell awful and need a change of clothes, and I would love to have something to do with my mind and hands so I don't accidentally send myself or one of you flying into space because I'm too tired and drained to think properly." By this time, Darcy had wondered to the broken window Loki had thrown Tony Stark from. There was an ancient wariness to her body, weighing her down from the inside-out. "So, please, can someone show me where to get cleaned up and start making you all some food?"

Tony Stark stepped forward, a grin lighting his face. "If the kid wants to feed us, why are you stopping her?" Throwing an arm around her shoulders, Tony led her away, his voice fading as they wondered down the hall, "So, what's this about the best damn spaghetti..?"

Thor, Jane, and Barton trailed behind, leaving behind Nat, Steve, Bruce, and Loki. They each shared a look at surprise, unsure what had just happened. 

Then, Steve stepped forward, pulled the muzzle from Loki, and asked, "You coming?"


	6. Only Me

Chapter Six - Only Me

Loki wondered at the strange beings before him, these Avengers. They had all gathered into a ostentatiously large cooking space, shining with all kinds of equipment and tools. Darcy had let out an audible sigh at the sight, before Jane and Tony had dragged her away to get cleaned up. 

Banner had once more laid himself down upon a rug stationed in the far corner, although there were two very plush chairs available in the space; perhaps it was something in the beasts nature that preferred laying about over more civilized arrangements. 

The super spies, Barton and Romanoff, took chairs beside each other at the oversized dinning table stationed artfully before the long island. They were position as that each had eyes on all exits, covering each others backs without over stepping the others space, making Loki wonder at the relationship there; it was true that Barton had given him information about the woman, but it had all been impersonal, as if reading straight from her file. However, the way they stayed close together and also choose sitting to protect the other spoke volumes. Even though they were silent, Loki himself knew that looks spoke volumes and there was a lot being covered between them. 

Thor had taken a place at said island, where bar stools had been arranged in a pleasing formation to create a homily feel, facing into the kitchen area. There was a casualness to him that Loki hadn't seen before, not the over confidence of the boy he was before, but more as if a weight had lifted from him in stopping Loki's plot and having Roger's suggest it hadn't all been his brother at fault. 

Loki found himself in the odd position of having Rogers as his reluctant jailer. They had both taken their own seats, Loki at the head of the table with the spies on his left, and Rogers took the place to his right. Loki smirked, watching as the super soldier settled and seemed to realize too late that he'd taken a deferred place to him. 

In a play Loki didn't see coming, Rogers reached over and undid the shackles at his wrist, freeing him. And took back the seat of power in the room; again, Loki smirked, realizing that he might actually have a formidable opponent across from him. Of course, he wasn't really surprised; Barton had given him a brief on him as well. Shield's records had claimed him a great upstart tactician before being lost to the ice, and with him returning to the land of the living, Barton reported he'd read up on every war and conflict since his time. Maybe this group wasn't so inept after all. 

The air hang with awkwardness and tension, which suited Loki fine; the more they were up in arms about what comes next, the more he himself had time to compose a tale to get himself free of them. The quicker he could disappear, the better. 

And, of course, Thor choose that moment to draw all eyes to him. "So brother," he began, "Is Warrior Steven correct? Were you a mere puppet to a greater power?" 

"Everyone is a puppet to a greater power," Loki quipped back, folding his arms before him on the table. 

"Wow, you really are a dick, huh?" came the voice of Stark as he rejoined the group. "I mean, Lewis and Foster said as much, but I figured, always give a benefit of a doubt, right?"

Thor perked up, looking behind Stark. "How does Lady Darcy fare?" 

Stark waved him off, taking his own seat at the island beside Thor. "They're both fine; kid's cleaning off while Foster sits with her. I don't think she's hurt--."

"She was." Loki said softly, causing another rise in tension in the room. "I hurt her. You can remove bruises, but the memory of pain doesn't leave you." 

Silence rang throughout the room, no one quite sure what to make of his words or the implications they could hold. Except Barton, Loki noticed, who stiffened like a plank and lowered his own head. Shame was rolling off him, thick enough he could taste its sour tang. It triggered his own shame, which caused anger to come rushing in. Didn't the ends justify the means, he reasoned with himself. What did he have to be shamed of? What did her discomfort matter to freeing his own mind? 

"How did you hurt her?" asked Rogers, as Thor stood, in defense of him or Darcy, Loki wasn't sure. 

"Mortal lives are so fragile, aren't they?" Loki responded, eyes meeting Thor. He'd spoken almost the same words to Thor not long ago, speaking of his Jane and how he would have to watch her die. He used them now to take away from his own faults, his own failings. "So easily broken and cast aside." 

"Brother--" Thor began, but Loki cut him off. 

"But I'm not, am I!" he yelled, anger rising him from his chair and sending it crashing to the floor. The agony, pain, and wariness finally coming to head within him; it seemed everyone had a breaking point, and Thor's steadfastness in him was Loki's. 

"Can you work out your family issues later?" asked Darcy Lewis from the doorway, hair still wet from a shower, wearing garments much too big for her; the man's button up shirt was obviously Stark's, hanging to her knees and the arms rolled up. Under that she wore loose pants, some cotton material that looked soft and flowy; again the pant legs had been rolled to compensate for her short stature. 

"How dare you--?" Loki started, only to fall through the floor as blue smoke billowed from under him. 

All eyes shifted to Darcy, who had continued her path to the kitchen without pause, beginning to open cabinets and fridge doors, pulling pots, pans, and bowls to lay upon the island that separated her from everyone. 

Jane, who had been tailing behind Darcy, settled herself on a stool, pulled a pocket notebook out, and started scratching away at it. 

Thor, Nat, Stark, and Rogers all shared looks of worry and confusion. Banner lay silent, making Steve question if he was even awake; Barton was still as death at the table. 

"Ms. Lewis," began Rogers.

"Hey," snapped Darcy, "Didn't I already tell you to call me Darcy?" 

Captain Steven Rogers knew a strong willed woman when he saw one. Raising his hands in surrender, he tried to keep the smile from his face as he replied, "Darcy, I'm sorry. But we do need to know what's going on here. Where's Loki? You mentioned something about sending us to space by accident..." 

Darcy laughed, Jane joining in. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. My control is much better than when this first happened. I don't think that's a possibility, but who knows? I mean, Loki might know, but I feel like he needs a timeout, don't you?" 

"A timeout..," Steve started, but cut off when Stark let out a bark of laughter beside him. 

She swept her eyes over everyone, the luminous blue ring around them calling to each one and sending a shiver of foreboding down Steve's spine. They landed on Barton, who had remained seated when everyone else had jumped at Loki's falling. Barton, who's head hung in shame. "Secret Agent Man, you going to get over here and help, or wallow in whatever you have marinating over there?" 

Barton rose to his feet, hands clenched at his side. "Darcy, look--," he started, only to cut off in a short shout as blue smoke billowed once more. Within one blink and the next, Barton went from standing by the table with his teammates to facing Darcy herself as she shoved a heavy metal mixing bowl into his arms. 

"I hate self-pity," she said, turning away to grab things from the industrial refrigerator behind her. "Especially when it's not needed." 

The room was silent once more, everyone unsure just how to handle the situation. This little slip of a girl could blink anyone from one place to another and it seemed they had no way of knowing if or when she would decide to. 

"I would love some pasta," was muttered from the other side of the room. Heads turned as Dr. Bruce Banner sat up. "Like, a mountain of pasta would be amazing. Even if it's terrible." 

He slowly made his way to the counter, where Darcy was still turned away, eyeing the gathered Avengers pinning her in. Barton was unmoving, clutching the bowl she'd shoved at him like a lifeline. Nat was the picture of calm, but Banner recognized that look as the moment right before she'd pulled a gun on him when she thought he'd been Hulking out in that tiny hut. Thor and Jane had taken back their seats that the island, though Thor looked ready to call up his hammer at any moment. Stark was a kid in a candy store, eyes alight with wonder at the show unfolding before him. Rogers, like Nat, was calm and unemotional, though Banner knew he could flip his internal switch just as fast. 

It seemed that his declaration was all that Lewis needed to loosen back up. She laughed, turning back to face them. "It won't be terrible, but I can make all the pasta that Stark has in this fancy kitchen. And..." she hesitated, looking from one face to the next, before stopping at Barton and laying a gentle hand on his arm. "And I'll try to explain everything. Though I will need some help." 

Blue smoke billowed once more, seeming to push a disheveled Loki on the floor before her. He was on his knees, unknowingly knelling before her, hands braced on his knees as he struggled to get his bearings back. His dark head rolled back, meeting her eyes as she stood over him. 

"Welcome back," she said, reaching one slender hand down to him. "Now, wanna stop being a dick and tell everyone what the frick is going on?" 

Loki didn't look away from her eyes, memorized by the blue ring around them. Slowly, as if relearning kindness, he reached for her hand and rose to his feet, towering over the younger woman. "I suppose its only fair," he muttered, turning to face those before him. His gaze searched out each and every one, noting the distrust, the weariness. It was something he had dealt with his entire life; what had given him the title of Mischief and Chaos. 

"After all, I fear with Ms. Lewis' help, I've only made it worse for the whole universe." With those ominous words, Loki took a seat across from Thor and settled in to answer for his crimes.


	7. Controlling Me

Chapter Seven - Controlling Me 

Director Nick Fury flicked the computer screen in front of him off, turning in his chair to face the windows behind him. The World Counsel was gunning for him to find and bring in Darcy Lewis, whom they deemed a rising threat to security and agents alike. They claimed the footage from Stark Tower was damnable enough to bring in the young woman for "questioning". 

Fury knew there would be little in the way of questioning Ms. Lewis and that instead there would be holding cells and medical "screenings" to find out what she was capable of. While Fury himself would love answers on that front, he had his own problems at the moment; he had never included Lewis' name in any briefing or official files concerning Loki or the Tesseract. Nor had he had the connection between Matthew Lewis or herself reveled; the only person with that connection was Coulson (who Fury had little doubt had shared with the newly formed Avengers). 

So there was absolutely no way that the Counsel members could know or even guess at the importance of one intern, nor have the desire to track her down, not this quickly. But Fury had had his own source contacted him less than an hour after Lewis' disappearing act about Strike teams descending upon Lewis' family in New York and upon Jane Foster's secure location in Norway to bring the girl in. This contact had expressed great concern for the girl, stating it wasn't just for information that the Counsel was gunning for her; the rot within Shield wanted to she what she could do and how they could use that to their advantage. 

Fury was fully aware that there was something lurking in his organization; had been there for years, he just didn't know how deep it ran. His source was working to get closer and closer, but had hit a stall until Lewis had been taken. "JR", his source, had raised red flags with Fury almost from the second that she'd been taken by Loki. 

Fury had been there, he'd seen Lewis able to block the controlling power of Loki's scepter. Lewis hadn't seemed to understand, but Fury realized just what a powerful defense that could be - able to fight back from the mind control Loki had and the possibilities of replicating that in others would be a vital tool to combat outside attackers. And being able to reverse that; making others conform to ones' will - the possibilities were endless. 

Fury lowered his head in shame; he remembered the terror on Lewis' face when Loki had grabbed her. It had been mirrored in his heart, but he'd managed to keep it from his face. Fury was the one that ordered Lewis be a part of this project along side Selvig; he'd wanted to know if the information he'd gathered about Matthew Lewis was true, if he had been altered by the experiments done on him in the 40s. There was no way to get to the son without raising questions Fury hadn't been prepared to answer. Then Thor had happened and a Lewis descendent had fallen in his lap. It was little from there to work her into his plans; getting fingerprints and blood work done to "clear" her for working at the Shield base. Only Fury's most loyal medical doctor had been allowed to draw and test her blood; Fury had destroyed the file as soon as the results had come in and had the doctor's clearance raised so high that she could only discuss what she'd found with himself or Coulson. 

Now, Fury wondered if he'd done the right thing. Having Lewis there had been his own experiment; seeing if she would have any reactions being near the Tesseract or if she had any abilities that would show themselves under the stress of working at the base. He'd been worried something would happen, but not this. Who could have pictured the Tesseract opening from the other end and letting someone, something, in? 

Which now lead him to his biggest problem; who was after Darcy Lewis and how did they know what she could do; and how to get close enough to her so that he could find out the answers for himself and warn her? 

When JR had called in that Jane Foster was also missing, Fury had little doubt that Lewis was going to follow her to Thor; who else would the doctor run to with danger on her heels? And Fury didn't know anyone that was a match for Thor's protections, except maybe the very heroes gathered at Stark Tower. Romanoff had reported in only to state that she was remaining at the Tower with Barton; Fury wasn't going to call her bullshit, he knew that she was done with Shield. However, it was playing to his advantage to have her there, so he saw no need to raise a fuss about it. 

Which had Fury come full circle to his current problem; who was after Lewis and what did they know about her? Fury needed some answers himself, so he powered down his office and quietly made his way out of the Shield New York offices, disposing of his cell and heavy leather jacket as he passed alleyways and blended into the city around him. He would go dark until he could find a way into the Tower and to Darcy Lewis herself. 

*~*

"I could feel it, you know?" Darcy said quietly, hands steady as she stirred away at the thick, bubbling sauce before her. "Could feel the universe trapped within. You all think it was a cube, just the Tesseract, some sort of power source." At this, she turned back, that strange bright blue rim circling her irises and seeming to ripple as she spoke. "It wasn't. It was so much more; pain, suffering, pleasure, power. Everything and anything. Just there, below the surface. Waiting." 

Silence lapped at the group, no one knowing just what to say or what to ask. 

They had gathered at the large dinning table positioned facing the cooking area. It was a very homely setup, obviously completed by someone knowing they would be hosting many events with an intimate group to feed. Loki took one head of the table, with Stark at the other. To his right, Loki had Thor and Jane. To Stark's right, Rogers had settled in, Banner beside him, followed by Romanoff. 

The silence didn't seem to bother Darcy, who simply continued on with her cooking, turning the heat down on the burner and turning to find the strainer. Barton stepped forward, taking the heavy water pot from her and pouring out the boiling water and noddles. She nodded, thanking him silently as she continued her tale. "There was also memory; the stone knew where it was, where it had been, who'd taken it, who wanted it. It's still there, in my head, everywhere its been." She looked up, locking those disconcerting eyes on Thor, "I saw Odin." 

To Stark, she said, "Howard." 

To Rogers, "Bucky." 

And lastly, Romanoff, "I even saw Fury and Coulson." 

She continued, speaking almost to herself as she began platting their meal. "I was so terrified, but there was also comfort; like the stone was going to show me the way. Does that even make sense?" 

Even though the question had seemed rhetorical, Stark answered it anyway, standing to walk forward and snag a plate for himself. "Kid, nothing in the last couple of days has made much sense at all." 

Laughing a little to herself, Darcy looked up, taking a plate and heading to the table with Barton, who had his own plate in hand. Darcy took the open seat by Jane, Barton settling in on her other side, leaving an open gap to Loki's left. Loki understood why the agent wouldn't want to be near him; if their roles had been revised, Barton would already be on the floor with one of Loki's knives in his neck. So Loki understood.

Soon, everyone, including Loki himself, were gathered around the table once more, silently eating the meal prepared. Romanoff disappearing around a corner, only to return moments latter with wine glasses, three bottles of dark red wine, and an opener. Stark raised an eyebrow at her, but simply held out a glass for her to fill. 

"I imagine there is much concern about Ms. Lewis' new... Abilities," he started, watching each hero for tale-tell signs of apprehension. Rogers' eyes flickered to Stark, who had an almost too perfect poker face. But Loki could see through the faked nonchalance to the wariness beyond. "These aren't new developments; something happened to tigger them, but she has always had them, under the surface, waiting for a time to rise. More than likely, Shield hastened them along by having her working so closely with the Tesseract and Dr. Selvig; power calling to power." 

"She would have been born with them," Agent Romanoff cut in, leaning forward to brace her arm upon the table, wine glass held aloft. "Whatever was done to her grandfather, whatever experiment was completed on him, it must have been passed down."

"You talking complete alteration of inherent DNA," Banner cut in, "That type of technology wasn't available in the 40's. Hell, its not even available now." 

This time, Jane leaned forward, pointing a sharp finger at Steve Rogers. "Then what do you call him?" she asked, staring unflinchingly back at Banner. "Theory?" 

"Doc's got a point," said Stark, leaning back in his chair. "There was always the idea that Hydra was trying to recreate the super solider serum. Who's to say that they didn't get it right and didn't even know?" 

Banner was already shaking his head. "There would have been some kind of proof, something to show it had worked. In Steve, for example, he went from a skinny asthmatic to," he flicked his hands in Steve's direction, indicating the vast difference. "That. Even in myself, there was a reaction; an explosion of power and fundamental change. With Matthew Lewis, there was nothing. I read the file, there was nothing to state that he might have been altered by the experiments done on him." 

"What if they didn't get to finish the process?" Rogers' asked, voice quite as he found himself slipping back in time. "When I had my... Procedure done, there was the serum, but also electricity burned through me. I don't remember what they called it, but it was why Howard was there, to make sure everything went ok and that the whole city didn't go dark because of it." 

Stark was nodding, "If they had injected Lewis, but never made it to the cooking process, there is the possibility that his DNA was changed and later passed on, but the effects weren't completely reached."

"And Darcy's exposure to the Tesseract would have triggered the completion process," Jane finished, meeting her friends eyes across the table. 

"Gramps was supposed to be "treated" with the Tesseract the night Captain American stormed Azzano," Darcy said, eyes downcast at her half eaten plate. Her focus was turned inward, seeing something that was only available to her, some distant memory the Cube had shared with her. 

"I think," started Romanoff, pushing her empty plate away and leaning back in her chair, "We're all focusing on the wrong thing at the moment; we can work out the science of how and why Lewis is what she is, later." 

"Agreed," stated Rogers, pulling away his own plate; his stomach had taken a foul turn when Darcy had brought up Azzano; he had questions for Darcy, about seeing Bucky, but they would have to wait, as much as it was killing him. "No offense to the science team, but we should be more worried about the threat to come. And what we should be doing to prepare for it." 

Loki nodded, pushing his own plate away as well. "I took Ms. Lewis because she was completely unaffected by the Mind Stone; that in itself is unthinkable. Impossible for a mere mortal. But then I learned that she could also hold off the affects of the Stone from myself. That is when I started to realize that she might not be entirely human. If she could cancel the effects of one stone, she might be able to stop them all." 

"But you did not know," Thor said quietly, having remained silent until now. "You had no idea what would happen when you forced her into contact with the Tesseract. You took a great risk with her life, without knowing what could happen." 

Loki raised his wine glass, mockingly toasting his would-be-brother, knowing that Thor would have never endangered the life of another in such a way. "I did. And fortunately, it all worked out." 

"All worked out?!" Jane cried, standing from the table and slamming her hands flat atop it, hard enough to rattle the dishes and glassware. "Do you know what you did to that poor girl? Do you know the state in which she came to me? She was wrecked; her life is torn and you claim it 'all worked out'!" 

"Doctor Foster," Captain Rogers started, the firm voice of authority. 

Loki remained seated, looking up at Thor's woman with lazy boredom as he interrupted, sitting his own now empty glass down gently. "And I would do it all again for want of the same result," he stated quietly, eyes never leaving hers. "There is more at work here than one mortal's life; more at risk than one tiny planet in the vast galaxy." Loki turned away, meeting the eyes of each and every member before him at the table. "The Mad Titan is coming and he will not stop until he has the power of the Tesseract and all the Infinity Stones under his might." 

Silence reigned around the dinning room. 

"So who is this "Mad Titan" and why should we be worried he'll come sniffing around here for the Tesseract?" Stark asked, leaning forward on his elbows, glancing sidelong at Captain Rogers. 

"Thanos. A world destroyer. Who holds no mercy for any in his path. And I have little doubt he will come to your tiny world, because he sent me and obviously I have failed." Loki answered. 

Romanoff pierced him with a sharp look, "And since you've gone rouge, what will he do now?" 

Loki broke their staring contest first, turning his head to the city sky line instead. "Rain hell fire, I imagine." 

Stark let out a harsh laugh, rising up and walking his empty plate to the sink in the kitchen. "Well, isn't that just sunshine and roses?" he asked mockingly. 

Romanoff was still looking on Loki, seeing a great hole in his story. "But now the Tesseract is gone, what will this Thanos do?" 

Damn, Loki thought, Barton had been right when he'd briefed him that this agent would miss nothing and leave no stone unturned. 

Loki raised his eyes, not to the gathered Avengers before him, but to the girl in question, who he was startled to learn had been waiting for him to face her. That unnatural blue glow was wider, almost overlapping the whole of her iris; Loki panicked for a single heartbeat, thinking she was about to send him away to that dark place again. But she did nothing but meet his own emerald eyes, waiting for the answer to Romanoff's question herself, even if it was something that she didn't want to know. 

"With the infinity stone gone and a mortal possessing its powers, Thanos will lay waste to this world and take her for his own. He has ways of controlling and manipulating the stones' powers; I have little doubt that he can and will keep Ms. Lewis from fleeing using her new powers, or to protect herself. Then he will enslave her and force her to use these powers for his own vile purposes." Loki answered, watching the play of emotions on the young woman's face. 

*~*

The Shield doctor was typing away at her computer, finishing one report before starting on her next patient. There was no rush for her, all her patients had already succumbed to Death's calling and were simply taking up the space she had made for them until they could be either sent home or place in Shield provided graves, were there no families to claim them. 

It was her lack of rushing and general in-my-own-time attitude that probably saved the man awaiting her scalpel; while she was clicking away, lost in documenting the array of injuries the poor soul before him had sustained, the man on her table started to twitch. Just faintly at first; small, involuntary movements of the fingers and toes. Then shivers up the arms and legs. 

There was no sound in her lab, save the almost not there of the laptop fan. So when the man before her suddenly sat up, the white sheet covering him falling away to revel his nakedness, she was not ashamed of the scream she let out, or the fact that she raised her sidearm to the deadman before her. 

The only thing that stopped her bullet from leaving the chamber was the terror on his own face, as he jerked from the table and fell to the floor, clutching his chest where once a giant front-to-back rip had been. 

She raced forward, dropping to her knees before him. "Hey, hey, hey, deep breaths. Calm down."

He was in a full panic attack, unable to take a breathe in, eyes wide and flying across the room. She raised her hand, slapping him across the face. He jerked back, the shock of pain bringing him back to earth. 

"D-Dr. J-Jen-Jenkins?" he stuttered out, voice rough as if from disuse. 

"Yes, I'm here. But you need to calm down," she said again, taking up the mantle of care and affections she didn't usually get to use with her patients; what with them always being dead and all. 

"H-how.. Wh-where," he stumbled over his words, unsure just what was going on. 

"I don't know." she answered, taking his shaking hands in hers. She counted out his pulse, locking eyes with him to help calm him down. "You were gone, totally gone. Something had pierced your heart; there is no way you could have survived that."

He pulled one hand away, raising it to his bare, blemish free chest. "I felt it; felt my insides rip apart." 

"Come on," she said, helping him to stand and getting him back on the cold metal table. "I need to call someone about this; but there's really only one person we can trust with this."

"Fury," he muttered, laying back on the hard table. "Fury needs to know." 

"Yes, sir, Agent Coulson," she replied, making sure he was down and not at risk of another panic attack or falling from her table. "I think this is definitely something Fury will need to know."


	8. Found Me

Chapter Eight - Found Me

Henry Lewis was not a man used to being ignored or disregarded. He certainly wasn't a man used to letting strange government types into his home, uninvited, asking questions about his daughter and harassing his wife and staff. And he definitely wasn't a man used to being completely helpless in finding said daughter. 

"She's not answering her phone," he said for the hundredth time, facing off against the short, bald agent in front of him. The man was at least six inches shorter than him, but from the way he was strutting around the Lewis' penthouse, he clearly had little to fear from the man towering over him. Of course, the fact that he had half a dozen armed bruisers with him probably helped. "I have nothing else to say to you without my lawyer here." 

"Sir, your daughter is currently at the top of the Most Wanted list, so it would only be in your best interest if you would work with us to help locate her." Agent Sitwell replied, eyeing the much taller and heavier built man with open mockery. 

Henry Lewis may be a corporate man, but that was not reflected in the imagine he put out; he looked more like a gym rat, all toned muscles, lean strength, tight workout shirt and shorts hugging muscular thighs. Thick black tattoos ran down each arm, swirling lines and branching outlines, stopping just short of his thick wrists; easily hidden when dressed for work or social events. He had thick black hair he'd inherited from his father, though it was much longer then should be acceptable within a boardroom of investors, flowing into a crisp man bun at the back of his neck. He'd also been graced with his father's strong jaw, which was flexing away in anger and frustration now. Blue eyes that he'd handed down to his own daughter glowed with emotion, burning a hole through the agent in front of him. 

If looks could kill, Agent Sitwell had little doubt that he and his entire Strike Team would be on their way to the coroners slab. Sitwell wondered for one short moment if those Lewis' blue eyes had been a family trait, or gained in the 40s. 

"And I have told you," Mr. Lewis repeated, taking a threatening step forward, "I highly doubt Darcy has done anything to land herself on a Wanted list, let alone the top. So unless you're going to present me with a warrant for arrest with charges listed, you are not welcome in my home." 

Brock Rumlow slid into place before Sitwell, blocking him completely from view from the other man. Rumlow was even in height and width to Lewis, so it wasn't too hard to buck up against the other man. 

Sitwell watched the two squaring off, a little smirk gracing his lips. He would love any excuse to bring the rich man down a peg or two; even if it would be Rumlow doing the knocking. 

However, before he could settle in for the show, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Frowning, he pulled it out and glanced at the name listed. Shocked coursed through him, but he didn't let it color his face. Raising the phone to his ear, he only managed to get out the barest greeting before he was cut off. 

"You and your men will leave the Lewis house," came the command, words sharp, bitting, and to the point. 

"But, sir," Sitwell protested, glancing up briefly at Lewis. 

"Now, Agent Sitwell," was barked out before the call was disconnected. 

He was slow to put his phone away, glancing around at his gathered team, jerking his head to the door as their signal to leave. All but Rumlow filed out quickly and effectively; he was still in the middle of a staring match/pissing contest with Lewis. 

"Rumlow, we're moving out," he said, cutting his eyes to Lewis. "Sorry to have inconvenienced you and your house, sir." 

Lewis barked out a laugh, following Sitwell and Rumlow to the front parlor. "Sorry? Oh, don't worry Agent Sitwell, my attorneys will make you and your agency very sorry indeed."   
With that, he slammed the door, the cutting off whatever reply Sitwell could have made. Turning, Henry saw his wife standing at the top of the stairs to the second floor of the townhouse; they had been moved to different rooms to be questioned by the agents. She was dressed simply in loose cotton pants and a light cardigan; which she was currently worrying about her hands and clutching tightly to herself. Her flowing brown curls, the exact shade and fullness of Darcy's, was braided down her back, while her dark brown eyes burned wetly into his. 

"Oh, dear, what has she gotten into now?" Ellen Lewis asked, her body shaking as she lowered herself to sit on the steps. 

"I don't know," he replied, leaning back against the door. "But I think she dodged a bullet not being here when that lot showed up." 

"What are we going to do?" she asked, lowering her head into her hands, tears flowing unchecked down her tanned face. 

Henry Lewis was quite, unsure exactly what he could do. 

On the curb outside, Agent Sitwell was staring back at the impressive six story brownstone, Rumlow beside him waiting for orders. He wasn't sure just what to make of the phone call he'd received, or how to go forward from here. Finding Darcy Lewis was his current mission, but he'd just been ordered to stand down from her parents, whom he was sure would be where she would run to for help. 

"Sir?" Rumlow asked, glancing toward the home as well. 

"We're returning to the office; have your men regroup and on standby. I need to figure out our next move," Sitwell ordered, pulling his phone from his pocket once more. 

Rumlow nodded, moving to his gathered team and directing them to the black SUVs lining the sidewalk. 

Sitwell ignored them, still staring down at his phone. There was more at play here than he had been told; information that held a lot of power. 

Like why Secretary Pierce was involving himself with one lowly intern?

*~*

"Do these things have to be so itchy?" Darcy complained, picking at one of the electrodes Stark and Banner had lined her forehead with. Wires were running every which way, making it hard to move. 

"Stop that," Stark replied, slapping at her hand. "The more you play with it, the longer this will take." 

Darcy grumbled under her breath, feeling like a sullen child sent to bed without supper. 

"What, exactly, are you hopping to find with these anyway?" Captain Rogers asked from his place by the door. 

They had all showered and changed, thanks to rooms and clothing provided by Tony. Thor had taken Loki aside, speaking quietly with him as they had moved to a private room. Natasha and Clint had remained in the common room, lounging about casually. 

Steve had followed the three scientist to Stark's labs when they had deemed enough rest had been had. He wanted to question Lewis about her comments on Bucky. However, with the manic energy Stark was giving off and the discomfort on her face, he didn't think that she was up for answering his questions just yet. Still, he was curious about the things Banner and Stark were looking for. 

And, he acknowledged, he did want to make sure she was safe; she was a civilian, for all intents and purposes, and he found himself worrying about her physical and mental state.

"This," replied Banner, turning to a computer station before him, "will monitor Darcy's brain activity; we want to see if she's operating on a higher plain then the rest of us. Getting a base line for her before moving on to more complex activity." 

"Like teleporting?" Lewis asked, hands straying to the sticky patches once more. 

"Yes," answered Jane, flicking Darcy's hand away. "Like teleportation. Also if there is any damage being done that we're not aware of. You could be killing yourself every time you move yourself or move others from place to place." 

That seemed to sober Darcy up, as she dropped her hands into her lap and stared silently down at them. 

"Not that I think that's a possibility," Jane rushed to assure her, taking both of Darcy's hands in hers. "We just want to check every avenue." 

Steve didn't miss the cutting glance Bruce and Tony shared, and neither did Dr. Foster. She gave a tiny shake of her head at the two, while Darcy was still staring down at their intwined hands. 

The message was clear; share no bad news with Darcy until after all test were complete. 

"Ok," Stark said cheerfully, clapping his hand in front of him like a child at Christmas. "First test is simple; just sit there and do nothing!" 

Darcy laughed, looking up at him kindly. "I would love nothing better."

There was only the hum of the machines around them and the clicking of keys as Bruce made some adjustments on his holoscreen. Steve was completely at a loss to what they were doing, but was content to settle in at the work bench before them and watch them work. 

After a few minutes, Bruce looked up, nodding to Tony. "Ok, we have a good base line. Now let's see what Ms. Lewis is working with here." 

Tony leaned toward the younger woman, meeting her eye-to-eye. "Ok, short-stuff, we don't want to get to the big stuff just yet. Let's start with something small. No teleporting yet; what other tricks do you have?"

Jane threw him a glare, presumably for the nickname.

Darcy, however, just turned her attention to the work station beside her. On it lay pieces of Tony's Iron Man suits; a leg part here, hand gauntlet there, arm bracers flung about wherever Stark had dropped them. 

As they watched, the gauntlet started to light up, buzzing loudly as it came to life and readied itself to fire. Bruce's holoscreen lit up like a Christmas tree, tiny alerts popping up and beeping at him. 

Steve watched Darcy as the gauntlet's chargers started to spin; that bright blue rim around her eyes was shinning, seeming to spin itself. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck and along his arms standing on end. The very air felt charged, thick and heavy as it pressed down on them. 

"Ok, that should do it," Bruce said, turning from his station. "Can you cut the energy flow?"

Darcy didn't seem to hear him, eyes locked on the gauntlet, unmoving on her stool. 

"Darcy," Jane said, reaching for her friend's hand. 

"Don't!" Tony snapped, pulling Jane's arm away. 

"What the hell--?" Foster started, cutting off when she saw why Tony had pulled her. 

Little flairs of blue light were flowing from Darcy's hands, arcing up her arms to her shoulders. When they reached the end of her fingers, there was a snap in the air, as if the current was looking for something to cling to. Steve wondered if that snap of energy would burn like a live wire. 

The gauntlet was at full charge now, vibrating harshly against the metal table. Steve tensed his legs, readying himself to lunge for Dr. Foster and Tony when the armor went off.   
Sure enough, the gauntlet shot a powerful blast of light across the room. Steve took both scientist down with him, as Bruce ducked himself under the table before him. 

Jane screamed as they landed, hard, on the floor, hands flying to protect her face, as sparks and glass rained from the overhead lights as they shattered outward. 

Steve rolled, tucking the much smaller woman beneath him, offering her the protection of his own body. 

Alarms were blaring throughout the lab, thick glass doors slamming shut, sealing the room off from the outside world. Real panic skated up Steve's spins as he heard Banner groaning behind them; if the Hulk made an appearance now, there was nowhere to hide from his rage. 

Raising his head, Steve noted Tony beside them, looking back to Banner. 

"Bruce, I need you to stay with us!" he called, raising slowly to crawl toward him. 

"Shut up, Tony," muttered Bruce, rolling into view. There was a small cut along his hair line; he must not have been as lucky as them to get out of the way fast enough. 

"Oh, thank god," Jane breathed out, laying still under him. 

Steve started to express the same relief, but stopped short when he looked over at Darcy. 

"Um, Tony?" he called, tensing over Foster once more. 

All eyes flew to Darcy, who had remained unmoving on her stool, eyes completely overtaken by that blue pulse within. She was sitting perfectly straight, arms hanging weightlessly by her sides. Fragments of glass floated around her, as if suspended from wire; the sparks from her fingers flaring hotly around her. Heat radiated from her, pursing in time with her shallow breaths. 

And every piece of armor and Iron Man weaponry in the lab was fully charged and humming away, waiting for her. 

*~*

Loki turned from Thor's pleading eyes, instead gazing around at the lavishly decorated room he had been pulled into. Thick white rugs covered the white marble floors, while dark walnut furniture dominated the space. This was obviously a living space for male guests, everything dark and barren. Loki idly wondered at the person who would have designed such a rich, yet spartan room, before Thor was pulling him back into conversation. 

"Loki, I know you no longer feel the same, but I have hope that you will take me into your confidence once more," he was saying, easing himself into a plush creme colored accent chair. "I still love you like my brother, which you are weather you embrace the title or not." 

"Titles are meaningless now," Loki chimed, mainly just to see the reaction he could rise from him. 

He was not disappointed; anger drew a bright red hue to Thor's cheeks, but he kept himself in check, much to Loki's regret. 

"We are Princes of Asgard--" Thor started.  
"Oh, but can you get back there?" Loki cut in, facing Thor once more. "Or was the plan to use the Tesseract to return? You have no dark magic of your own to draw from, so just how did you plan on returning?" 

Whatever Thor's remarks would have been, they were drowned out by the screeching of an overhead alarm. The lights around them dimmed, emergency red flood lights flashing through the room. 

The once-brothers shared a look before bolting for the door, running headlong into The Widow and Archer-boy. 

"Labs have locked down," Romanoff informed them, leading the way to a hidden stair way. They descended down, passing five flights before she yanked a door open and they filed out into a large open lab. 

The space was huge, walls of glass letting them see everything. A back section, where machines were humming to life, was cut off; thick glass and steel walls cutting it off from the rest of the room. A quarantine barrier, keeping others in the tower safe should an accident take place. 

As the four raced to the divider, Loki could see that Ms. Lewis was unmoving, still as stone upon a stool before them. Glass floated around her, forming a dome of sorts while blue energy zapped the air around her. Armor was keyed up before her, every piece of killing tech Tony Stark had foolishly laid about his lab. 

Thor beat them all to the glass wall, slamming his mighty fist upon it hard enough to send a spider web of cracks outwards. His other hand he raised, calling his hammer to him wordlessly. 

"Jane!" he called, raising the hammer to slam into the weakened wall. 

"Wait!" called the voice of Captain Rogers, whom Loki could see laying over the smaller woman, protecting her with his own body. 

Thor halted, unsure suddenly of the consequences of his actions. But Loki could see what the good Captain did; lining the glass before them was a thin layer of blue energy, arching and flowing to cover the entire surface. When Thor had slammed his fist into the wall, sparks had popped; Loki had little doubt that if his hammer were to break through, energy would shoot out, striking anything and everything it could reach. 

The young girl had unknowingly created a protective shield; cocooning herself within the powers that now flowed through her. However, because the others were trapped in the room with her, that energy would find an outlet through them if disturbed. 

They would have to find another way to get to her, without risking the lives of those trapped with her.


	9. Save Us

Chapter Nine - Save Us

When Darcy was a younger, her family had taken a vacation to Italy, staying in a massive winery owned by one of her mother's friends. Darcy had been sixteen at the time and she hadn't had much interest in the ins and outs of the place, so she'd found herself wondering and exploring while the grownups sampled and toured away at the property. 

One fateful afternoon, she'd discovered the massive tunnels under the property, housing wine barrels and other equipment one would find at a working winery. Even knowing that she shouldn't be wondering around the place, Darcy had still descended the stairs into the dark and begun poking around. She wasn't sure how long she had been walking and randomly opening doors when she'd heard laughter coming towards her. Not wanting to get into trouble, she'd ducked into an opening and slid the door silently shut behind her. 

She'd been plunged into darkness, no light forming around or under the door. Reaching her hands out before her, she'd started shuffling along, searching for another exit to avoid getting caught. 

Her hands had smacked into a wooden panel; not another door, but some kind of barrier. Running her fingers along the edges, she had found a tiny gap between the wood and the stone walls. With a little effort, she'd managed to pry the wood away, reveling a slim doorway that lead further into the Earth. A soft blue glow was shining from below, lighting the stone stairway for her. 

She felt drawn to that light source, feeling as if hands were wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her gently to the depths below. Goose flesh rose along her arms and neck, everything within her focusing, reaching, wanting to know what was down there. 

Before she even realized what she was doing, her feet had carried her half way down the twisting staircase, her pink ballet flats making no noise on the hard stone floor. 

Seemingly to come to herself all at once, Darcy jerked to a stop, hearing voices floating up from below. 

"....I don't care what you have to do, it needs to be ready to move tonight."

"There is no way to have everything ready by then. You're asking too much this time-." 

There was a crash, glass breaking and falling to the floor. 

"You will have it ready to move, or you will be removed from this project. Permanently." 

Steps drew closer, heavy and angry as they slapped the stone stairway, circling up toward her. Darcy flew up the stairs, diving behind some storage boxes just as someone stomped into the room with her. Darkness descended again as the side panel closed. 

She flattened her hands against her mouth, trying to quite her loud breathing. There was nothing for a moment, complete silence, before light flooded the room; they had opened the door and stepped out. Darcy risked a peek over the crates in front of her, spying a tall older man, dressed in a simple tan suit with rumbled, dusty blond hair. He reached back without looking to close the door behind him, his face silhouetted, showcasing a sharp nose and hard jaw.

Darcy listened to his steps fading away. She sat there in darkness for at least 10 minutes before working her way from her hiding spot and creeping towards the door. She glanced back once, as she opened the door and light swept the room, towards the hidden panel. She hesitated for just a moment, feeling that pull once more to continue down, before stepping through and closing the door softly behind her. 

Later that night, as the family sat around a beautifully spread table covered in pasta dishes, salads, breads, and over flowing with wine, Darcy's mother introduced her to her friend, whose winery they were staying at. 

Alexander Pierce was a very intimating man, standing tall and proud at the head of the table, shaking hands with her father and kissing her mother's cheeks. When he turned his cold blue eyes to her, Darcy plastered on her best fake smile and tried to ignore the chill that shivered down her spine when he smiled at her; she recognized him by the same dusty blond hair and square jaw of the man from below, but he'd combed his hair back into order and lost that angry edge to his face. 

When he'd leaned in to kiss her cheeks as he'd done her mother's, she'd knocked over a wine glass, the deep red spreading and staining quickly. While staff rushed to clean it up, Darcy backed away from Pierce, moving further down the table, using the distraction to distance herself, apologizing to her mother and the staff loudly. 

His cold eyes had tracked her every move, a smile slashing across his cruel mouth. 

*~*

Loki looked toward Thor, meeting his eyes for a brief second before teleporting himself into the locked lab. He materialized in front of Darcy, heat coating him completely, suffocating him immediately. Pain fired through him, old wounds opening along side new ones. 

Reaching out, he grabbed onto her shoulders, hands shaking from the effort. Darcy's head rolled back slightly, eyes locking on his. 

A beat passed.

Then, slowly, the armor around them powered down, weapons going dark as they were lowered from the raised positions that they had been in. Glass fragments crashed to the floor as they were released from whatever hold Darcy had had over them. 

Captain Rogers remained over Dr. Foster, making sure all threats were gone before easing himself off her and rolling to his feet. Stark shot up like a firework, running for the holoscreen Banner had abandoned when he'd fallen. Banner himself was slower to stand, taking the time to check for injuries and calm himself, below unsteadily gaining his feet and going to open the quarantine barrier. 

Loki remained in front of Darcy, watching that luminous blue glow slowly fade from her eyes. She was coming back from something, some event taking place in her mind that no one else was aware of. Tears were running unchecked down her face, her body starting to shake as if she was coming down from a powerful high. 

Jane stepped up beside him, not reaching for the young girl before him, but offering whatever silent support she could. Thor and Rogers were guarded at Jane's back, still unsure what hidden dangers she possessed. 

"Banner! Foster! You have to see this! It's off the charts!" Stark's voice was gleeful, totally at odds with the atmosphere of the room. "Romanoff, you too! You know some science stuff! Look it!" 

"Tony," Romanoff bit off. "Read the room." 

Natalie had positioned herself between Stark and the group huddled around Darcy, eyeing the situation with the calm no one else could contain. Barton flanked her, taking cues from her as to how to move forward. 

Loki ignored them all, focusing completely on the girl before him. Her shaking was becoming more intense, her very being unfocusing and shifting. "Ms. Lewis," he spoke, his voice low and as calming as he could make it. "Deep breaths, in and out. In and out." 

He repeated the instructions over and over again, never raising his voice. Slowly, so slowly, the girl seemed to come back to herself, centering back into the here and now. The luminous blue ring flashed, blue smoke rippling around them. 

The group at his back tensed, the Widow and Archer-boy both reaching for weapons, as if that would help them. Rogers and Thor both reached for Jane, who was pulled away and shoved behind the two defenders. 

"Loki," Thor growled out, mighty hand bracing on his brothers shoulder. 

"She's ok," Loki replied, unmoving and not breaking eye contact with Darcy. "Aren't you, darling?" 

The portal she'd been opening closed slowly, blue smoke blinking out of existence. The shaking stopped as her breathing evened out. Those otherworldly blue eyes roamed around the room, placing everyone around her. 

"I'm sorry," she croaked out, voice rough as if from disuse. "I'm sorry. She got scared." 

"She?" Banner chimed out, pulling himself from the data screen he and Stark were pouring over. "A different 'she' from you?" 

Darcy was silent, arms coming up to hug herself. Her fingers briefly glazed his own, where his hands still rested on her shoulders. The touch was there and gone before he even realized it had happened. Her eyes met his again, some message there, but Jane shoved him aside before he could figure it out. 

Throwing her arms around her friend, Jane hugged her tight, sobs working from her tiny body. 

"Don't ever do that again!" she muttered into Darcy's hair, shutting the rest of the room out. 

"Never," Darcy promised, eyes following Loki as he back away to join Thor and Rogers, giving the two women space. 

Loki, God of chaos and mischief, knew a lie when he heard one. 

*~*

Darcy kicked her feet over the edge of Stark's landing pad, watching the lights from the city below flash and flicker. She pulled her blanket higher on her shoulders, blocking out the chill that Stark's white dress shirt didn't seem to halt. Her feet were frozen, the bright red polish shinning brightly, but she couldn't make herself care. She needed to be outside, away from the concern and worry (and fear) of everyone in the tower. 

After the lab incident, Jane had escorted her upstairs to the same bedroom they're visited earlier for showers. The plush white bedding had been super inviting and comfy, but she'd been unable to find a comfortable position. She'd pretended to be asleep so that Jane would leave the room; to discuss Darcy's "condition" with the others in the common room below. She knew that's what they would be talking about, because Stark really needed to work on his whispering voice. Him and Banner had pulled the others in to speak in low voices while Jane had been sobbing on Darcy's shoulder. 

After Jane had silently made her way from the room and closed the door behind her, Darcy had lay staring at the ceiling for a long moment, before sighing out a soft, "Ok." 

She'd teleported herself to the roof, where she'd been thinking about what to do next. She really needed to visit her parents, make sure they were ok. She was sure Shield would be all over their home, which made her want to check in even more. 

_**I'm sorry __**_ _, a soft voice sighed out._

__"I know," Darcy replied, not realizing she was talking out loud until she heard her own voice._ _

___**I got scared. I don't like labs or people poking at me. __**_ ___ _

____"I don't really blame you, but you have to trust me. Jane would never do anything to hurt us."_ _ _ _

_____**Maybe not you. __**_ _ _ _ _

______"She's our family, remember? She will fight for us and never hurt us."_ _ _ _ _ _

_______**I miss my sisters. __**_ ___ _ _ _ _ _

________"I know," Darcy sighed. "But you said that three of them were close by, right? Loki had one himself, remember?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________**Yes __**_ _, the voice sighed, happy feelings shrouding Darcy. She knew it was the feelings from the Space Stone, but it still cheered her up; so warm and content. _ **She has someone important to meet first. It will hurt her, and that makes me sad. But it will be good in the end. __**_ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________"I'm glad," Darcy answered, pulling her blanket up once more. "No one should suffer like you have."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________**I am happy to have crossed your path, Darcy Lewis. I am happy to be with you now. __**_ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"Me too," Darcy murmured, smiling down at the world below. "Me too."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________*~*_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Loki watched from the shadows, unseen or noticed by the girl beyond. She was talking to herself, an odd behavior Loki was sure._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He couldn't make out what she was saying, the bustle of the city below and the blowing of the wind covering her voice and carrying it away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He had removed himself from the heros below, not wanting to hear the "containment" ideas that were being floated around for Darcy. Stark and Banner had started designing a chamber to hold her in, that would keep her from teleporting or creating her own energy shields. Foster and, surprisingly, The Widow herself had voiced strong opposition to the idea. Thor had of course taken his lady's side, while also stating that it wasn't right to lock Darcy up because of some "misguided" fear of her new circumstances._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"She can be trained," Thor had argued, shaking his head at the plans floating on the holoscreen before them. "Like any warrior, she must learn her own strength and refine it to protect herself and others."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"It would just be temporary," Stark countered, spinning in his chair to face his peers. "Just until she does know how to control herself." Pointing a finger Thor's way, he added, "What if Jane is alone with her next time she looses control?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Loki had slipped away then, melting into the shadows and making his away to the roof top. He'd been thinking about leaving completely, until he'd spotted the girl sitting calmly on the edge of the roof, feet tangling beneath her. Some part of him wondered about her mental state, questioning the wisdom of her hanging so precariously from the tall building._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Her head was tilled back, long hair flowing down her back, as she gazed at the sky above. There were no stars to see; lights from the city around them keeping them hidden from sight. There was a certain peace to her, completely at odds with the situation that she was finding herself in._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"You can join me, you know."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Startled, Loki stilled in the act of melting back into the shadows._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________"You aren't nearly as sneaky as you think you are. Come on," she turned, patting the space beside her. "We have a lot to talk about, me and you."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Loki stepped forward._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	10. Join Us

Chapter Ten - Join Us

Dr. Amber Jenkins yanked Agent Phill Coulson's hand down for the fifth time, tucking it back into his lap. 

"Stop rubbing your chest, people are starting to notice," she snapped, glancing around the crowded subway car. 

"I can still feel it," he muttered, shifting closer to her. "It's weird."

"Someone is going to think you're having a heart attack and come help you," she stated, snatching his hand once again. This time, instead of trusting him to leave it alone, she held on, squeezing his still cold fingers. 

After finally getting him to calm down in her lab, she'd rushed to the staff gym and raided a coworkers locker. She'd managed to find loose grey sweatpants and a baggy zip hoodie for him, paired with well worn running shoes and clean white socks. Getting him dressed had been a team effort, as he'd had zero muscle strength and could hardly lift his own feet. He'd seemed to gain more control as they had made their way from the Shield building into the busy streets of New York. 

She'd tried Fury's cell phone with no success; it had gone straight to voicemail without ringing. She'd then tried an emergency number that Coulson gave her. This time, someone had picked up, but said nothing. Unsure what to do, Amber had looked to Coulson for guidance. He'd raised a shaking hand and typed out "26677664733" on the keypad. Another silence before the voice on the line said calmly, "Stark Tower. Ask for Happy." 

So they had located the nearest subway station and were making their way to Stark Tower, unsure what reception they would receive. 

"Stark doesn't trust Shield," Coulson said quietly, tucking into himself tightly. He shivered slightly; he was freezing and couldn't seem to get himself warm no matter what. 

"I don't trust Shield," Amber muttered, rubbing absently at the hand she held to help warm him up. 

Surprisingly, Coulson let out a chuckle, squeezing her hand in return. "I know, but I'm still grateful that you came aboard with us." 

Like I had a choice, she thought, but refrained from speaking aloud. She knew Coulson was aware of her circumstances within Shield; there was no reason to bring it up. 

"Stark might hear we're coming and turn us away for spite," Coulson continued, voicing a fear that Amber had as well. 

"Stark might," she murmured, "but Rogers won't." 

Coulson nodded, turning his head to stare out the window beside them at the passing city. "I hope," he muttered, uncertainly plain in his bearing. 

*~*

Loki gazed at the city spread out below him; the flashing lights of first responders, the brilliant glow of billboards, the buzz of transportation. All of humanity, tilling away after coming so close to death and destruction. 

The girl beside him was silent, wrapped in her own musings. She'd slid over when he'd approached, making space for him to sit beside her on the narrow landing pad, but had as yet not spoken a word to him. Loki had centuries of practice in the art of waiting and bidding his time, so he was content to wait for her to start the conversation. 

Sure enough, she turned to him suddenly, pulling both legs up and hugging her knees into her chest. Loki turn slightly toward her, meeting her eyes. 

"My parents live over there," she said, pointing a hand over her shoulder and gesturing vaguely. 

"I am aware." Loki answered, remembering the briefing Barton had provided for him. 

"Will you go with me, to make sure that they're ok?" 

The question shocked Loki, drawing a rare moment of silence to his mind. 

"Why not Thor or the Golden Boy, Rogers?" he countered, wondering at the game she played. 

Laying her cheek on her raised knees, she turned to face the city skyline once more. Sighing out softly, she pulled her blanket around her tightly. 

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked, knowing full well the answer. 

"Until it becomes useful to me," he answered honestly, seeing no reason to lie to her. 

A tiny smile graced her rounded face, highlighting the pale skin and dark hair. "Oh, I'm aware," she responded, the smile fading as quickly as it had bloomed. "I don't need Thor to barge in with oaths of honor and protection. Nor do I want Captain America waltzing into my father's study with righteous justice on his side. My parents don't need to know what's going on, or where we're going after we leave them. They just need to know I'm still alive and that they're safe." 

"And where are we going, Ms. Lewis? Some little life-finding adventure for the ages?" Loki mocked, turning from the girl to hide the surprise that she wanted him to continue onward with her. 

"Oh Loki," she muttered, reaching forward to touch his arm. "And here I thought you were the God of Mischief and Chaos? Where's your sense of fun?" 

There was a challenge in her eyes, daring him to back away first. 

"Forgive me if I am not myself," Loki bit out, teeth clenching. "I've had a rough couple of days."

"More like year," Darcy breathed softly, hand still laying on his arm. 

Loki wasn't sure why he hadn't pulled away; some small part of him thinking that she deserved the comfort she could take from physical contact after everything she'd been through - everything he'd put her through. Another tiny voice, which he silenced immediately, said that the touch was nice and he would very much like her to stay there forever. 

"I don't know what you're talking about-" he began, only for her grip to tighten and eyes become sharp on his face. 

"Did you know that the Space Stone can feel?" she interrupted. "It knew everything that was going on around it. So can the other stones; if they are close enough together, they can and do transfer information between each other. Anything that one felt, she can make her sisters feel as well." 

"She?" Loki asked sharply, turning to the girl before him. "You can speak with it?" 

"Oh yes," Darcy replied, standing before him and holding a tiny hand out to him. "She told me everything about herself and her sisters, the other infinity gems. She's as much a part of me now as her sisters are a part of her. And she let me know all about you, Loki Odinson. Or do you prefer Friggason? Maybe even Luafeyson--"

Loki shot to his feet, openly ignoring the hand she held out to him. "How do you know that name?" He spat, towering over her in rage. 

"You've been touched by the Mind Stone, just as Barton and Eric have been," she said, eyes steady on his. "She has seen into the heart of you." 

There was a ringing in Loki's ears, a dull roaring of the blood coursing through his veins too fast. The world seemed to shift on its axis, rolling beneath him violently. Memories flooded his mind; falling into darkness. Something reaching out for him. Chains tightening. Fires raging under his skin. Blood dripping off stone. The shifting of his mind, someone reaching in and forcing his hand. 

"I wondered where you two got off too," a voice thundered from behind them, breaking the silence and slamming a door shut in Loki's mind, locking away his memories once more. 

Darcy pulled the blanket tighter around her, not breaking gazes with him as she called out to Thor. 

"So, what's the verdict, big guy? Locked away to protect me from myself or free to destroy the ones closest to me?" 

"Lady Darcy," Thor began, shocked that she was aware of the discussion the Avengers were having. "I have vowed to protect you and Jane, and I would never allow you to be imprisoned without just cause." 

Darcy smiled, finally turning to face the large blond. "Well, at least I know I can count on the Might of Asgard." 

"Always," Thor replied, laying a fist over his heart and bowing his head to her. 

A blush darkened her cheeks, highlighting just how young she was. She cleared her throat, glancing away and down. "Yes, well," she muttered, at a loss in the face of such loyalty. 

Loki smirked, enjoy the display of her discomfort since it took his mind away from his own from moments ago. 

"Stark and Banner have asked for your help, brother." Thor began, drawing level with Darcy and facing Loki squarely. "They still have many questions about the Cube and wish to consult with you."

Loki felt the humor fading from him; the mortals had Darcy before them, a living being fused with an infinitely gem, yet they sought him instead. They did not want to understand the stone, he knew. They wanted to know how to contain it. 

Darcy's face reflected the same conclusion that he'd reached; she was waiting for his answer, just as Thor himself was tensed and waiting. 

Before he could answer, the door behind them opened once more and Steven Rogers stepped through. He made his way quickly to them, nodding to Loki and Darcy, before turning toward Thor. 

"It's too bad you couldn't find them," he said, arms crossing his chest in a determined manner. "Hard to locked down two people that can snap theirselves away like that, huh?" 

Thor nodded, still eyeing Loki with concern. "Yes, it is too bad. Hopefully they will be ok on their own, wherever they manage to re-appear." 

"What-?" Darcy started, only to be cut off by Rogers. 

"Darcy shouldn't be in any danger from Loki, right? You trust him to take care of her?" Rogers' eyes were hard where they met Loki's, diamonds cutting through the night. 

"Oh yes," Thor replied, clapping one large hand upon Loki's shoulder. "We may have our differences, my brother and I, but I believe him honorable and able to look after Lady Darcy completely." 

Loki nodded, silently pledging his oath to Thor. Turning to the confused woman before him, he offered his hand. 

"Shall we?" he asked, signature smirk along his lips once more. 

Blue smoke rippled, fanning out behind him as Darcy stepped forward and took his hand. 

*~*

Steven Rogers watched the portal close behind the two with no small amount of worry and anxiety. Just hours ago they have been fighting to get Darcy away from Loki and stop him from destroying thousands of lives. Now, they were letting him go with the person they had sworn to protect. 

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, still looking out at where the two had disappeared. 

"More sure about this then of locking her away for who knows how long," was Thor's answer, as he too stared into the night sky. 

"Stark is going to be pissed," Rogers remarked, turning to head back inside. 

"Tis not Stark I fear," Thor answered, following behind him as they crossed the threshold and re-entered Stark tower. "My Lady will be most displeased that I allowed her sister to leave without a goodbye. And with Loki, no less." 

Steve smiled, thinking of Jane's reaction when her and Darcy had first arrived. "Yeah, I don't think I want to be present for that confrontation." 

"Well, I think that will have to wait," came the silken voice of Natasha from behind them. Both men jumped, having not noticed the woman stalking them from the shadows. 

Natasha smiled, all sharp glass and irony. "Scared?" she purred, pushing ahead and making her way down the service stairs that led to the common room below. "Just want till you see the visitors waiting for us." 

Thor and Steve shared a look, curiosity pulling them after her like puppets on a string. As they drew nearer, they could hear raised voices. Picking up the pace, they bounded down the remaining steps and both drew up short. 

Standing before them, hanging between a willowy blonde woman and Happy Hogan, Stark's driver, was Agent Phil Coulson, alive and well, though looking ready to pass out at any moment. Stark was shouting at Happy, something about security breaches and wanting an explanation. 

Steve rushed forward, taking Coulson's weight from both Happy and the woman. He guided him to a plush sofa, settling him down before turning to the woman who trailed behind. 

"What happened?" he demanded, voice slipping into Captain America mode without him even thinking about it. 

The woman stepped back, straitening her back and glaring down at him. "What does it look like?" she snapped, arms crossing her chest. "He died and then pulled a Jesus. Although in a lot less time." 

"Ma'am-" he tried again, only to be cut off by her. 

"Doctor, actually," she snapped again, pushing her hair back over her shoulder as she shoved her way back to Coulson's side. "Phil was laying on my autopsy slab not five hours ago when he shot up like the hounds of Hell were after him. Maybe they were," she muttered, shrugging her thin shoulders and reaching for Coulson's wrist to measure his pulse. Satisfied, she laid his hand down on his chest and turned to Steve once more. "We couldn't get ahold of Fury, so Coulson said we had to come here, that Fury would make his way to us." 

"Wait," Stark interrupted behind her, where he was joined by Banner and Jane. Natasha and Barton were off to the side, close enough to be aware, but far enough to not be in the way. "Why would Fury come here? Doesn't he have spy stuff and lies to tell else where? And how did you even get up here? Happy, what kind of security are you running here?" 

Happy looked to Natasha, shame lighting his too honest face. "Ms. Rushmore had me contact her if her private line was ever called." 

Stark's head whipped around, lighting on Natasha in disbelief. "You used my Happy for your spy workings?"

"No," she replied softly, "I asked Happy to let me know if anyone ever called me. They did and he did. End of story." 

"Why do you even have a private line here? Jarvis, what the hell?" Stark demanded, anger building as he called out to his A.I.

"Ms. Potts gave Ms. Rushmore a private, secure line after the incident with Stane. She thought it would be help if there was every another insurgent act from within the company," Jarvis replied, sounding impossibly bored. "I included the relevant information in your daily briefings, sir." 

"Can you two fight somewhere else?" snapped the lady doctor, pulling a throw blanket from the back on the sofa over Coulson's still form. 

"Lady, this is my tower, incase you forgot," Stark started, more than happy to direct his anger at a new target. 

"And apparently Coulson trusted you," she snapped, swinging around to face him. "And it's Doctor, you douce-canoe." 

Silence fell over the group, shock at the violence coming from the slight woman before them. 

"Maybe we need to start over," Steve said, rising to stand and survey the group before him. 

"You think?" the woman muttered, shoving her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as her brown eyes roamed to room before her. 

Steve let out a breath, counting silently in his head for calm. 

"At least they're not fighting anymore," came a stilled voice behind them. 

All eyes turned as Coulson pulled himself into a seated position. The woman stepped forward, helping him and checking his pulse once more. "This is not fighting?" she asked, eyes on the thin gold watch on her wrist. 

"Son of Coul," Thor said, stepping forward and kneeling before the agent. "I saw you fall. I saw what Loki did to you. How are you healed?" 

"I would love to ask Loki that," Coulson answered, nodding to the woman as she stepped back to let the heroes gather around him. 

"Seems like he has a lot to answer for," Stark quipped, turning to Rogers and Thor. "Thought you two were fetching him and Darcy?" 

"Darcy Lewis is here?" Coulson asked, sitting straighter and trying to conceal the phantom pain the action caused. 

Steve and Thor shared a look, waiting for the other to jump in with the bad news. 

Natasha beat them to the punch. 

"They're both gone," she stated flatly, sounding bored as she delivered the news. 

"I'm sorry," Stark started, raising a hand and wiggling his little finger in his ear as if to clear out a blockage. "I must not have heard that right. What do you mean, 'they're gone'?"

Before she could answer, there was a ping from the elevator. Everyone tensed, except Coulson who still seemed unable to catch his breath. Thor rose and stood before Jane, protecting her from an unknown threat. Banner shuffled to cover the back of the woman still attending to Coulson. Natasha and Barton both held relaxed positions, although both had a hand resting on their side arms. Stark and Steve stood shoulder-to-shoulder, facing forward together. Happy stood awkwardly to the side, unsure what help he could be in a room of literal superheroes. They all watched as the doors slid open, braced for the unknown. 

Instead, a battered Nick Fury was reveled, taking one step forward before pitching forward against his will. 

Natasha and Barton both rushed forward, catching his weight as he fell from the elevator. Banner and Coulson's doctor both shoved their way to the director, pushing forward to check for a pulse and search for all injuries. 

"Looks like mild contusions," Banner started, only to be cut off by the woman beside him. 

"Stab wound. Lower back, just missed the kidney," she muttered, lifting his eye lid to check his pupil reactions. "Concussion. Broken fingers on right hand. Needs blood transfusion. Is there a medbay in this giant tower?" she ask, turning to pin Stark with her hard glare. 

"Level 65 houses a state-of-the-art medical facility, with in house medical staff and access to local blood banks," answered the voice of Jarvis, before Stark could. 

"We need to move him, now," she answered, standing and pointing toward Thor and Rogers. "You two, lets go." 

Both men stepped forward, Thor taking Fury's front half while Rogers hefted his legs. They followed the barking orders of the doctor as she directed them into the still waiting elevator. 

The doors closed with a soft ding, leaving the room in silence. 

"What the fuck is happening?" Stark asked, still in shock from the last few moments. 

"Hell if I know," Barton sighed, throwing himself into a chair before Coulson. "I don't get paid enough for this shit." 

"Me either," muttered Happy, still standing by the elevator, waiting for Jarvis to bring it back so he could return to the peace and quiet of his desk on the security floor.


End file.
